Oscar Piastri to Miss Hungarian GP FP1 as McLaren Junior Fornaroli Steps In

Oscar Piastri will step aside for McLaren junior Leonardo Fornaroli during first practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix, as the team fulfills one of its four mandatory rookie sessions for the 2026 season. The 21-year-old Italian, who claimed the Formula 2 title in 2025 before spending a year on the sidelines, is preparing for his second official FP1 outing after making his debut in Barcelona earlier this summer.

Why it matters:

McLaren's decision to run Fornaroli reflects the balancing act of meeting regulatory requirements while seriously evaluating its next generation of talent. With the Italian also having completed TPC running with Haas and chasing a full-time race berth for 2027, this session serves as a critical live audition on one of the calendar's most technically demanding and unforgiving circuits.

The details:

• Fornaroli will pilot the MCL40 during Friday morning's running at the Hungaroring, backed by extensive simulator preparation and physical training at McLaren's Woking headquarters.
• He first appeared in an official Grand Prix weekend at June's Spanish Grand Prix, giving him a foundation with the team's current-generation machinery.
• Haas running: Ryo Hirakawa will also feature in FP1, taking over Ollie Bearman's VF-26 for his eighth Formula 1 practice appearance. The Toyota factory driver returns after a disrupted Austrian outing and aims to provide detailed setup feedback for the tight, twisty Hungaroring layout, which is packed with low- and medium-speed corners.

What's next:

Fornaroli's latest opportunity is part of a longer-term push to secure a race seat in 2027, with both McLaren and Haas providing valuable platforms to prove his credentials this season. A strong showing in Budapest could tip the scales as teams begin mapping out their lineups for the following year, turning every clean lap into a meaningful audition for a permanent place on the Formula 1 grid.