New McLaren reserve driver completes private Silverstone test

McLaren reserve driver and 2025 F2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli took part in a TPC test at Silverstone earlier this week, the team has confirmed.

Fornaroli followed in the footsteps of seven current F1 stars – including Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri – by winning the prestigious F2 (formerly GP2) title in 2025.

Leonardo Fornaroli completes McLaren TPC outing at Silverstone

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However, the Italian’s success failed to secure him a place on the F1 2026 grid with McLaren signing Fornaroli to its junior academy following his F2 triumph.

Fornaroli was then promoted to the role of reserve driver ahead of the new season, sharing the position with IndyCar star Pato O’Ward.

After his first test with an F1 car in Barcelona last month, Fornaroli was back behind the wheel of the 2023-spec McLaren MCL60 in another TPC (Testing of Previous Car) outing at Silverstone on Tuesday.

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In a statement issued to PlanetF1.com, McLaren confirmed that Fornaroli completed a total of 68 laps (393 kilometres) at the British Grand Prix venue.

His run plan was described as an ‘evolution’ of his Barcelona test outing, consisting of longer runs, low-fuel runs and a mix of hard and soft tyres.

Fornaroli said: “Another good day on track – it was amazing to be back in the MCL60.

“Silverstone is one of my favourite circuits, so I’m grateful to McLaren for the opportunity to get back behind the wheel of an F1 car there.

“With it being my second test, the run plan was more advanced, so I got to try some different setups and run with different levels of fuel, which continues to support my understanding of driving a Formula 1 car.

“I’m very happy with today and I continued to make improvements from my test a few weeks ago, getting even more comfortable with these machines.

“I look forward to continuing to test this year, something that is very important as part of my role as McLaren Mastercard Reserve Driver and for my development within the DDP programme.”

McLaren added that ‘further tests’ at a variety of circuits are planned for Fornaroli over the rest of the F1 2026 season.

Fornaroli attended the recent Japanese Grand Prix in his capacity as reserve driver, with the youngster also ‘working closely with the team and logging extensive simulator time’ at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking.

Fornaroli is unlikely to enter McLaren’s plans for a race seat in the foreseeable future with reigning F1 world champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both under long-term contracts.

PlanetF1.com understands that Norris’s current deal is set to run until at least the end of the 2027 season, with Piastri signing a multi-year contract extension ahead of the 2025 campaign.

McLaren has shown a willingness over recent years to let drivers under the team’s umbrella take up opportunities elsewhere.

In November 2024, Gabriel Bortoleto was released from his McLaren contract to land a race seat with Sauber (now Audi) for the following season.

Meanwhile, Irish F2 driver Alex Dunne split with McLaren last September after two FP1 appearances for the team in Austria and Italy.

PlanetF1.com understands that the split came after it emerged that Dunne, who subsequently joined Alpine’s junior scheme for 2026, was not in favour of McLaren’s plans to move him to IndyCar.

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