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F1 Hopeful Secures Exciting New Grand Prix Weekend Role
Highlights
- Leonardo Fornaroli to drive McLaren in FP1 at Hungarian GP
- Fornaroli replaces Oscar Piastri for first practice session
- Haas rookie Ryo Hirakawa also features in FP1 this weekend
- Hungarian GP scheduled for July 26, 2026, at Hungaroring
- Fornaroli aims to secure full-time F1 seat by 2027
Leonardo Fornaroli will drive McLaren’s MCL40 in FP1 at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Friday, replacing Oscar Piastri for the session at the Hungaroring on 26 July 2026.
It is his second official F1 running of the season after a composed FP1 in Barcelona, where he finished fifth and underlined his credentials as McLaren’s reserve and development driver.
Fornaroli finished fifth in Barcelona FP1 on his first 2026 outing.
Fornaroli’s objective is straightforward: accrue mileage, build confidence, and deliver clean data for setup correlation as McLaren shapes its baseline for a high-downforce, traction‑limited circuit.
The Italian has prepared extensively in the simulator and performance centre, prioritising procedures, out‑lap discipline, and tyre preparation to maximise learning within a short, often interrupted, first practice window.
Piastri resumes normal duties for qualifying and the race, allowing McLaren to balance development mileage with competitive priorities without compromising its programme for the rest of the weekend.
Piastri remains in the car for qualifying and the race; Fornaroli handles FP1 only.
Arriving after the Belgian Grand Prix, where the midfield picture tightened, McLaren will prioritise aero sweeps and tyre‑life assessment to tune race pace.
Haas will also field rookie Ryo Hirakawa in FP1, continuing the broader trend of allocating practice mileage to emerging talent and expanding teams’ evaluation datasets before parc fermé.
The weekend schedule at the Hungaroring, including FP1 timings, is set for 26 July. Fans can track the full programme via our dedicated Hungarian GP schedule.
For McLaren, the value lies in disciplined execution. Clear feedback, repeatable test items, and error‑free laps will determine how much of Fornaroli’s work transfers into competitive gains.
Fornaroli is targeting a full-time F1 seat by 2027.
Delivering another tidy FP1 would reinforce Fornaroli’s case for a 2027 seat while underlining McLaren’s commitment to nurturing talent alongside its push for short‑term results.
Visual Summary
Fornaroli Returns for
FP1 at Hungaroring
⬆️
P5 in debut FP1
(Barcelona)
(Barcelona)
Future Star
Driving McLaren
FP1 in place of Piastri
FP1 in place of Piastri
72%
Confidence
In McLaren’s
young talent pipeline
young talent pipeline
Hungaroring, Budapest
July 26, 2026 – FP1 on Friday
🏁 F1’s
Next Gen
Next Gen
Plus: Haas gives Ryo Hirakawa his FP1 debut
All eyes on Fornaroli’s every lap.
Every turn counts towards a full-time F1 dream.
Every turn counts towards a full-time F1 dream.
Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.
