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McLaren will give reigning Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli his first official Formula 1 outing this weekend, with the Italian set to drive the MCL40 in Free Practice 1 ahead of the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
The 21-year-old will take over Lando Norris’s car for the opening practice session of the seventh round of the season, marking a significant step in his progression through McLaren’s driver pathway. Norris, described by the team announcement as the reigning world champion, will sit out FP1 as McLaren hands valuable track time to one of its leading development prospects.
Fornaroli joined the Woking-based team last December and is now both a key member of McLaren’s driver development programme and the squad’s official reserve driver. His Barcelona run follows a period of preparation that has included three TPC outings, with one of those Testing of Previous Cars sessions taking place at the same venue as this weekend’s Grand Prix.
For wider context on the event weekend, our Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix preview covers the setting for what will now also be Fornaroli’s first appearance in an official Formula 1 session.
For McLaren, the FP1 appearance is more than a symbolic debut. Friday practice carries real operational value, and Fornaroli’s task will be to support the team’s preparations while working through the planned programme. That makes the session both a personal milestone and a professional test of how effectively he can contribute inside a live Grand Prix weekend environment.
Fornaroli underlined both sides of that responsibility in his comments ahead of the run.
"I’m looking forward to getting to drive the MCL40 this weekend in Spain for Free Practice 1. It’s a great opportunity to support the team with their preparations and work through the planned Friday programme."
He added that the opportunity represents a major moment in his career.
"It’s also a very special milestone for me personally, as it will be my first official Formula 1 session. It’s something I’ve worked towards for a long time, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to take this next step with McLaren Racing."
Fornaroli also pointed to his recent TPC mileage as an important part of his preparation for the MCL40 outing.
"The experience I’ve gained so far this year through the multiple Testing of Previous Cars events I’ve successfully completed has been so valuable for my development and overall learning of driving a Formula 1 car."
He concluded by thanking Zak, Andrea and Alessandro for their continued support, adding that he cannot wait to get in the car on Friday.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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