McLaren gives Fornaroli second FP1 outing in Hungary

McLaren junior Leonardo Fornaroli will get his second taste of Formula 1 action at the Hungaroring, taking over Oscar Piastri's MCL40 for Friday's opening practice session. The outing comes at a critical moment for the team, which is introducing a major upgrade package in Budapest as it looks to close the gap to Mercedes and counter Ferrari's recent progress.

Why it matters:

Fornaroli's latest run reflects McLaren's growing confidence in the 21-year-old Italian as it evaluates his long-term future in F1. Team principal Andrea Stella has already indicated that the team is exploring ways to place its junior driver on the grid, with speculation linking him to a potential Haas seat alongside Oliver Bearman. After an encouraging debut in Barcelona earlier this season, this appearance offers another chance to prove he belongs at the highest level.

The details:

• Fornaroli will drive Piastri's car during FP1 in Hungary, just weeks after his first outing in Barcelona where he deputized for Lando Norris.
• McLaren has brought an important upgrade package to Budapest aimed at improving performance and responding to Ferrari's gains through slower-speed corners.
• The rookie will help gather data on the revised MCL40 before Piastri returns for the remainder of the race weekend.
• He is not the only rookie in action: Haas will run Toyota-backed Ryo Hirakawa in place of Bearman, while Alpine reserve Paul Aron replaces Franco Colapinto for his third rookie session of the year.
• Under F1 regulations, each team must field a rookie in four FP1 sessions per season, with each race car completing two of those appearances.

What's next:

This weekend serves as another audition for Fornaroli as McLaren continues to assess whether he is ready for a full-time race seat. With the driver market for 2027 beginning to take shape, a strong showing in Budapest could strengthen his case and accelerate his path to a permanent place on the Formula 1 grid.