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McLaren junior Leonardo Fornaroli will make his second Formula 1 practice appearance of 2026 when he deputises for Oscar Piastri during FP1 at the Hungaroring this weekend.
The reigning F2 champion previously took over Lando Norris’ MCL40 in Barcelona last month. His Budapest outing will give him another opportunity to work with McLaren’s current car, this time from Piastri’s side of the garage.
The session arrives at an important point for McLaren. The team is bringing a significant package of upgrades to the Hungarian Grand Prix as it attempts to close the gap to Mercedes. Ferrari’s SF-26 has also demonstrated stronger cornering performance than the McLaren, adding further importance to the team’s evaluation in Budapest. The full 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix preview provides additional coverage of the weekend ahead.
McLaren has been highly impressed by Fornaroli’s progress. Team principal Andrea Stella has confirmed in recent weeks that the Woking-based squad is exploring opportunities for the 21-year-old elsewhere on the Formula 1 grid.
Fornaroli has most recently been linked with the second Haas seat alongside Oliver Bearman. Esteban Ocon currently occupies that position, although his long-term future remains unclear. The Hungarian FP1 appearance therefore represents more than another scheduled rookie run: it is another chance for Fornaroli to demonstrate his readiness at the highest level while McLaren assesses his next step.
Bearman will also sit out FP1 in Budapest, with Haas giving Toyota protege Ryo Hirakawa an opportunity in his place.
At Alpine, reserve driver Paul Aron will make his third FP1 appearance of the season. After two sessions on loan at Audi in Barcelona and Austria, Aron will replace Franco Colapinto for the opening practice session in Hungary.
Formula 1 teams are required by regulation to enter rookie drivers in four FP1 sessions during the season, with two outings allocated to each car. Budapest will consequently provide another visible test of the junior drivers being assessed across the field, while Fornaroli’s second run gives McLaren a fresh opportunity to evaluate a highly rated member of its development programme.
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