Leonardo Fornaroli is 'definitely worthy of being in F1' according to Zak Brown
It is not every day that a team principal offers such a ringing endorsement, but Zak Brown has made his stance clear: McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli is, in his estimation, “definitely worthy of being in F1.” It is a massive statement of faith in the 21-year-old, who has been quietly building his resume within the Woking-based squad’s Driver Development Programme since signing in December of last year.
Fornaroli’s path to this point has been defined by his success in Formula 2, where he took the championship last year. His transition into the high-pressure environment of Formula 1 has been deliberate and, by all accounts, impressive. The Italian driver made a mark during his FP1 debut at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, where he stepped into Lando Norris’s seat and managed to log 22 laps, landing a respectable fifth on the timesheets. It was a proper show of composure for someone of his age in such a demanding machine.
His development has not been limited to a single team. Fornaroli recently took to the Jerez Circuit in Spain, where he piloted the Haas VF-25 for a Testing of Previous Cars run. Sharing the track with Haas reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa, the Italian continues to accumulate vital seat time as he angles for a permanent spot on the grid. Brown, speaking during the British Grand Prix, confirmed that he sees “real possibilities” for Fornaroli to eventually join the grid, hopefully alongside Kimi Antonelli as the next Italian representative in the sport.
While the paddock is always buzzing with noise—including persistent, if ultimately dismissed, rumors regarding Max Verstappen—Brown remains focused on the stability of his own garage. With Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both locked into multi-year deals, the CEO is adamant that his current lineup is exactly where he wants it to be. “I’m very happy with my two racing drivers, Lando and Oscar,” Brown noted, brushing off external speculation with a bit of humor about his dinner plans. For now, the focus for Fornaroli remains clear: keep testing, keep developing, and wait for that elusive opening to secure a seat.