Leonardo Fornaroli reflected on how his time as part of the Driver Development Program has been, emphasizing that he has been trying to learn as much as possible to pursue the dream of reaching Formula 1.
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The driver got involved with the team in December 2025, after winning consecutive titles in Formula 3 and Formula 2 in 2024 and 2025.
Since then, he has already driven an F1 car in March in a TCP [pre-season car test] session in Barcelona, before participating in a TL1 in June, also in Spain, with McLaren. Later, in Jerez, he drove in another TCP with Haas, as well as another free practice in Hungary.
“It’s a different world. It’s the beginning of… how to say… it’s where you start to be a professional racing driver. There are many people working [in an F1 team] compared to F2 and F3, and much more work, something very intense, but I’m enjoying it,” he told the F1 website.
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“It’s also something I’m used to. All the categories [prior to F1] are already of a very high level, so they taught me to work in this environment and to deal with people; and driving is what I like to do, so everything flows naturally, or almost naturally,” he continued.
Asked about plans for the second half of 2026 and how to spend as much time as possible on track and in the paddock, he said that “there are more tests with previous years’ cars [TCP] and participation in free practice sessions [TL1], more simulator hours, more support on Fridays and more work with Lando and Oscar, trying to learn as much as possible.”
Now, Fornaroli admitted that he sees a step up to Formula 1 as something achievable. “Definitely. We are working on it, trying to make it happen. I’m focused on the present and doing my job. There is still work to be done, but I think we are in a good position,” he concluded.
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