(Motorsport-Total.com) – Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli makes his debut at a Formula 1 race weekend in Barcelona. After the Italian has already completed several test drives for McLaren, he is now allowed to get into the McLaren for the first time during a Grand Prix.
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The 2025 Formula 2 champion will replace Lando Norris in the first practice session on Friday. From FP2 onwards, the world champion will be back in the car as usual. Fornaroli will drive the current McLaren MCL40 for the first time during his Friday outing.
Previously, he took to the track in the MCL60 from the 2023 Formula 1 season during his three private test drives (TPC tests) in Barcelona, Silverstone and Austin. For him, it is “a very special milestone,” says the 21-year-old himself.
“I’ve worked towards this for a long time, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to take this next step together with McLaren Racing,” says Fornaroli, who won the Formula 2 title as a rookie in 2025.
Although he had previously won the Formula 3 championship in 2024, he could not find a cockpit in the premier class for 2026. McLaren then secured his services as a reserve driver.
Williams: Browning also in action again
In addition to Fornaroli, Luke Browning will also be on the grid in Barcelona as another Friday driver. The 24-year-old will replace Alexander Albon at Williams. The Williams reserve driver brings a little more Formula 1 experience than Fornaroli.
For the Briton, it will be his fifth Friday outing for the Grove team after 2024 and 2025. Williams has also announced that Browning will drive in FP1 again in Spielberg, but then as a replacement for Carlos Sainz.
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As with Fornaroli, it will also be Browning’s first outing in a current-generation Formula 1 car. “Luke continues to prove himself a valuable member of the team, both through his simulator work and his performance on track,” emphasizes Williams Sporting Director Sven Smeets.
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“Giving him the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the FW48 for the first time at two race weekends is an important step in his development and a logical progression,” says Smeets.
At Audi, Paul Aron will get two FP1 outings. He will replace Nico Hülkenberg in Barcelona and Gabriel Bortoleto in Spielberg. The 22-year-old already participated in two Friday practice sessions for predecessor team Sauber in 2025.
In Barcelona, Frederik Vesti will replace WM leader Kimi Antonelli in FP1 for Mercedes, Ayumu Iwasa will replace Isack Hadjar for Red Bull, and it was already confirmed that Colton Herta will make his Friday debut for Cadillac.
Each Formula 1 regular driver must again this year, by regulation, hand over two practice sessions to a driver who has not yet completed more than two Grands Prix in his career.
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