McLaren reserve lands surprise Haas F1 test as Formula 1 wait continues

Haas has announced that McLaren junior, Leonardo Fornaroli, will be involved in a two-day Testing of a Previous Car [TPC] outing at Jerez in a VF-25, Haas’ 2025 model.

Fornaroli, the 2025 Formula 2 champion, will get the chance to drive at Jerez in Formula 1 machinery on Wednesday and Thursday, with Haas reserve, Ryo Hirakawa, also in attendance.

Leonardo Fornaroli receives Haas Formula 1 test chance

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The 21-year-old Italian is one of a select group of drivers to have won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles back-to-back, with Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Oscar Piastri and Gabriel Bortoleto all having done so and since established themselves on the Formula 1 grid.

Fornaroli took part in FP1 at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix last Friday for McLaren, having joined the reigning champions’ junior programme last year.

He has also undertaken TPC outings for McLaren earlier this year, doing so at Silverstone in April and the Circuit of The Americas in May, with the team having aided his development while he spends the season without a full-time race seat.

Haas began operating a TPC programme last year, with its technical partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing having created the capability to offer tests to drivers away from the Formula 1 calendar.

McLaren team principal, Andrea Stella, was full of praise for Fornaroli’s work ethic and attitude after his FP1 debut in Barcelona, with the Italian seeking to find his way into Formula 1 next season.

“It’s a very deserved opportunity,” Stella told PlanetF1.com and others in Barcelona.

“We have worked with Leonardo for some months now. We have appreciated massively his attitude as a person and as a driver.

“He’s actually a very interesting character. He looks timid, but by far is the most proactive driver in asking the engineers [questions].

“He goes around with his notebook, takes several notes, and as soon as he has an idea, he shares it.

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“So he’s a very interesting character, and then when he gets in a car, be it either the simulator, be it in the TPC testing car, or here in a Free Practice 1 session on a current car, is fast.

“Very happy with the attitude, the speed, the consistency. Leonardo is certainly an asset for Formula 1 in the future.”

Formula 2 champions are not allowed to re-enter the series the following year, in order to make room for the next crop of talent to come through. Piastri also spent a season on the sidelines after his F2 title, doing so as Alpine reserve before a surprise move to McLaren for the 2023 season.

The outing could be considered something of an audition for F1 2027, with Esteban Ocon out of contract for the coming year as the Frenchman has come under pressure from teammate Oliver Bearman.

Jack Doohan is also waiting in the wings, the Australian having joined Haas as reserve driver this year but yet to get real-world seat time with his new team.

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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