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Fornaroli Set to Make Impact in Hungary FP1 as Team Unveils Key Upgrades
Highlights
- Leonardo Fornaroli to drive McLaren in FP1 at Hungarian Grand Prix
- Fornaroli replaces Oscar Piastri for the 60-minute first practice
- McLaren introduces new floor and aerodynamic upgrades for Hungaroring
- Experimental rear wing tested during FP1, not used in races yet
- Team focuses on tyre management and power unit performance
- Upgrades aim to boost competitiveness before summer championship break
Leonardo Fornaroli will return to McLaren duties in FP1 at the Hungaroring, filling Oscar Piastri’s seat on Friday as the team prepares for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The 21-year-old Italian made his F1 weekend debut in Barcelona, driving Lando Norris’s MCL40, and now adds further mileage toward F1’s rookie FP1 obligations.
McLaren has supported his programme with private tests in older machinery, simulator work, and physical preparation, bolstering his role as development and reserve driver.
Fornaroli replaces Piastri for the 60-minute FP1, adding a second Grand Prix weekend outing to his growing F1 résumé.
This weekend is also an important test bed for McLaren’s latest development steps. The team will evaluate a new floor and revised aerodynamic package targeted at the Hungaroring’s high-downforce demands.
Those items will be assessed across Friday running, alongside an updated experimental rear wing configured for FP1 data gathering only, not race deployment.
McLaren will assess a new floor and aero kit on Friday, with an experimental rear wing limited to FP1 for correlation.
The wing was first earmarked for Austria and remains a learning tool. McLaren will not race it in Hungary or at the following event in the Netherlands.
The development plan mirrors the tight competitive landscape. Every small gain matters before the summer break, as outlined in the team’s recent MCL40 upgrade push.
[p]Randy Singh, McLaren’s Senior Director of Racing, expects the Hungaroring to reward high downforce, confident braking, and robust traction, while punishing instability in tight, connected corners.[/p]
Tyre management will be central given likely heat and limited cooling, and the team continues chasing power unit efficiency as evolving regulations shape overtaking and strategic options.
Expect tyre management and power unit efficiency to be decisive factors around the tight, high-energy Hungaroring lap.
Risk management also features after recent incidents across the field, with McLaren stressing execution discipline alongside pace, as reflected in its latest operational caution.
Fornaroli’s run supplies live feedback on the new parts and adds driver development value. The team’s programmes will compress into a busy Friday per the Hungarian GP schedule.
The objective is clear: consolidate gains before the summer pause, maintain pressure in a close fight, and convert incremental improvements into sustained race-day performance.
Visual Summary
F3
F2
F1
🛠️
Leonardo Fornaroli gets his second F1 FP1 run with McLaren at the Hungarian GP!
🚀 Rising star, double champion, embracing top-level speed
New Floor & Aero for MCL40
Experimental Rear Wing 🦾
21
Age
2
FP1 Outings
2
Championships
Hungaroring is a test of:
High downforce • Confident braking • Tyre management.
Every lap is development.
Every upgrade matters.
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.
