Leonardo Fornaroli has been confirmed as McLaren’s Formula 1 reserve and third driver for the 2027 season, extending his existing role within the Woking-based outfit.
Alongside his F1 duties, the Italian will also make his World Endurance Championship debut behind the wheel of McLaren’s new Hypercar, marking a significant expansion of his programme.
The dual role represents a major step forward for Fornaroli, who has spent 2026 developing his relationship with McLaren through a combination of testing, free practice appearances and simulator work.
His 2026 programme included Testing of Previous Cars sessions, two Grand Prix free practice outings and extensive simulator duties, all of which will continue to form part of his development in 2027.
“The programme McLaren has given me this year has been incredible,” Fornaroli told Autosport. “The TPC days I’ve completed with the team, the two FP1 sessions and all the work I’ve done in the simulator have been extremely valuable experiences.”
He added: “Every time I work with the team, I learn something new. I want to thank McLaren for the support and the development opportunities they’re giving me.”
Fornaroli has already had his first taste of the McLaren Hypercar, completing a single exploratory lap that gave him an initial feel for the entirely new machine.
“Getting into a closed cockpit for the first time, shutting the door and setting off first on electric power before the combustion engine kicked in was something completely new to me, but really, really cool,” he said.
The young driver believes his F1 experience will provide a strong foundation for the demands of endurance racing, though he acknowledges there is much to learn in a fiercely competitive environment.
“All of this will also be very important for the WEC, because it’s an extremely competitive championship and there will be so much to learn, from overtaking to strategy, as well as, of course, getting to know a completely new car.”
One of the most motivating aspects of the new programme for Fornaroli is simply the prospect of returning to competitive racing after a season spent largely in a reserve capacity.
“Yes, I’ve really missed racing,” he admitted. “Every weekend I’m at the track as a reserve driver, I get very jealous when I see Lando and Oscar racing. So getting back to racing is going to be an incredible feeling.”
The 2027 WEC calendar includes the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans, a race that carries deeply personal significance for the Italian driver.
“Le Mans has always been a dream of mine. I never expected to have the opportunity to race there as early as next year,” Fornaroli said.
“It’s a race I’ve thought about for many years, and to be able to take part so soon will be incredible. I follow the 24 Hours every year, even staying up late into the night to watch it.”
Fornaroli also expressed strong confidence in McLaren’s ability to make an immediate impact in their debut WEC season, citing the quality of personnel surrounding the programme.
“The engineers are highly skilled, and so are the mechanics. We’re talking about McLaren, a team that has achieved some incredible successes throughout motorsport history. Racing with them next year is going to be amazing.”
The 2027 season shapes up as a pivotal one for Fornaroli, balancing two complementary roles that together offer him racing mileage, technical development and continued growth within one of Formula 1’s leading teams.