(Motorsport-Total.com) – Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli was allowed to complete a second test day for world champion team McLaren on Tuesday. The Italian was at the wheel of a McLaren MCL60 from the 2023 Formula 1 season in Silverstone and completed a total of 393 kilometers in 68 laps.
Read more Lewis Hamilton: Wild drift clip fuels the rumor mill
For Fornaroli, who was accepted into McLaren’s development program at the end of last season and is the official reserve driver for 2026, it was his second outing in a McLaren Formula 1 car following a test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in March.
Therefore, his program this time was also designed to be somewhat more advanced: Fornaroli drove both long runs and runs with low fuel, and both hard and soft tires were tested.
“Another good day on the track,” he summarizes. “It was fantastic to be back in the MCL60. Silverstone is one of my favorite tracks, so I’m grateful to McLaren for the opportunity to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car there.”
The most promising juniors of the Formula 1 teams 2026
“Since it was my second test, the schedule was more advanced, so I could try out different set-ups and drive with different fuel loads, which further promotes my understanding of driving a Formula 1 car,” said the reigning Formula 2 champion.
Read more World champion stumbles: Lando Norris doesn’t feel comfortable in the McLaren
“I am very happy with today and was able to improve further compared to my test a few weeks ago by becoming even more familiar with these machines.”
The 21-year-old does not have a regular race seat in the 2026 season, but is focusing on his role as a reserve driver at McLaren. In Japan, the Italian was on site and is a regular guest at the McLaren Technology Centre, where he works closely with the team and spends a lot of time in the simulator.
As part of his training in McLaren’s development program, Fornaroli will be in the MCL60 for further planned tests at various race tracks throughout the year. “I look forward to continuing the tests this year,” he says. “This is very important for my role as a McLaren reserve driver and for my development within the program.”
Read more Career setback instead of top team: Blundell on his biggest mistake