News Summary

McLaren has confirmed that reigning Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli will race in the 2027 World Endurance Championship and make his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut, while retaining his position as the Formula 1 team’s reserve driver alongside Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

The 21-year-old Italian becomes the fourth confirmed driver for McLaren’s new MCL-HY Hypercar programme, joining Mikkel Jensen, Laurens Vanthoor and Alex Lynn. The announcement, made on Monday, October 19, gives Fornaroli a full-time racing opportunity after spending 2026 primarily working in McLaren’s Formula 1 development programme.

The decision also strengthens McLaren’s preparations for its return to the highest level of endurance racing, with the British manufacturer assembling a line-up that combines experienced prototype specialists and young single-seater talent.

Fornaroli welcomed the opportunity to race again while continuing his Formula 1 responsibilities.

“To represent McLaren in the FIA World Endurance Championship and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a huge honour,” he said in the team’s official announcement.

Fornaroli admits he missed racing during F1 reserve season

Fornaroli joined McLaren’s development programme after winning consecutive FIA Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships in 2024 and 2025.

His progression placed him among a select group of drivers to win both titles in successive rookie campaigns, an achievement also accomplished by Piastri before his Formula 1 debut.

However, the Italian was unable to secure a full-time F1 race seat for 2026 and instead concentrated on developing his experience with McLaren.

His programme included testing previous-generation Formula 1 cars, participating in two official free-practice sessions and completing extensive simulator work.

Fornaroli acknowledged that watching Norris and Piastri compete had made him increasingly eager to return to racing.

“Yes, I’ve really missed racing,” he admitted.

The Italian explained that attending Grand Prix weekends without competing had been frustrating, even though the technical experience proved valuable.

He also praised the opportunities McLaren had provided throughout the year, highlighting the importance of working directly with engineers and learning the team’s procedures.

The WEC programme will now allow him to continue developing as a driver while maintaining his connection with Formula 1.

Leonardo Fornaroli (Photo: McLaren)

McLaren’s new Hypercar gives Fornaroli first endurance challenge

Fornaroli has already completed his first kilometres in the MCL-HY, although his initial experience was limited to a single lap.

The Italian described the transition from single-seater machinery to an enclosed-cockpit prototype as particularly unusual.

The experience included driving away using electrical power before the combustion engine started, introducing him to the operation of the hybrid system used by McLaren’s new endurance car.

His first substantial test is scheduled to begin on October 19, allowing him to work more closely with the engineering team and contribute to the car’s development.

Fornaroli acknowledged that endurance racing will require significant adaptation, particularly in areas such as traffic management, overtaking slower classes and race strategy.

Unlike Formula 1 and Formula 2, the World Endurance Championship features multiple categories sharing the same circuit, with drivers required to manage traffic while maintaining competitive lap times.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans will also introduce the challenge of racing through the night, sharing a car with teammates and maintaining performance over exceptionally long distances.

McLaren’s MCL-HY is being developed for the LMDh regulations, with the team working alongside United Autosports to prepare its return to the Hypercar category.

The manufacturer has already completed initial track tests and is continuing development ahead of homologation.

Fornaroli joins Lynn, Vanthoor and Jensen in McLaren line-up

Fornaroli’s appointment follows a series of announcements establishing the foundations of McLaren’s 2027 Hypercar programme.

The manufacturer first confirmed Mikkel Jensen, bringing experience from Peugeot’s factory endurance operation.

It subsequently signed Laurens Vanthoor, the 2024 WEC Drivers’ Champion, after Porsche’s decision to withdraw from the championship.

The third appointment was Alex Lynn, who will leave Cadillac after completing the 2026 season.

As GRANDE PRÊMIO reported when Lynn’s move was announced, the British driver brings experience of Le Mans pole positions, endurance victories and the development of factory prototypes.

Fornaroli becomes the fourth member of the group, giving McLaren a combination of established endurance specialists and a driver who has progressed rapidly through the junior single-seater categories.

The team is expected to operate two MCL-HY prototypes, requiring additional drivers to complete its planned line-up.

However, McLaren has not confirmed which drivers will share each car, and Fornaroli’s appointment should not be interpreted as confirmation of a specific three-driver crew.

Team principal James Barclay praised the Italian’s achievements and the qualities he demonstrated during their previous work together.

“Leo is an exceptional talent,” Barclay said.

He emphasised that winning Formula 3 and then Formula 2 as a rookie demonstrated Fornaroli’s consistency, speed and maturity.

Barclay also highlighted the importance of balancing experienced endurance drivers with younger competitors as McLaren prepares for its debut season.

McLaren’s Le Mans return carries historic significance

McLaren’s arrival in the Hypercar category will mark its return to the battle for overall victory at Le Mans, a race it famously won on its first attempt in 1995.

That victory came with the McLaren F1 GTR, driven by JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya.

The new MCL-HY represents a different technical approach, with hybrid power and a chassis developed specifically for modern endurance racing.

McLaren will compete against established manufacturers including Toyota, Ferrari, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine and Aston Martin, as well as other new entrants preparing for the 2027 season.

The competition has become increasingly intense, with manufacturers investing heavily in technical development and driver recruitment.

McLaren’s return also follows a major restructuring of the endurance landscape, including Porsche’s withdrawal from the Hypercar category and Ford’s arrival with its own factory programme.

The manufacturer is preparing to compete in both Formula 1 and the WEC at the highest level, with Fornaroli maintaining responsibilities across the two programmes.

Fornaroli keeps F1 ambitions alive with McLaren

Although the WEC programme provides Fornaroli with a full-time racing opportunity, the Italian has not abandoned his Formula 1 ambitions.

He will continue as McLaren’s reserve driver in 2027, participating in simulator development, testing activities and Grand Prix weekends when required.

The arrangement allows him to remain involved in the team’s Formula 1 operation while gaining race experience in the WEC.

His position also reflects the limited opportunities available in Formula 1 for young drivers, particularly at established teams with long-term contracts.

Norris and Piastri remain McLaren’s race drivers, leaving Fornaroli without an immediate opening in the team’s Grand Prix line-up.

Another Ferrari junior, Rafael Câmara, recently secured a Haas race seat for 2027, illustrating the different paths available to drivers emerging from Formula 2.

Fornaroli will instead combine his McLaren reserve duties with a programme that includes the WEC’s major endurance events and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Italian acknowledged that racing at Le Mans had been a long-standing ambition.

“Le Mans has always been a dream of mine,” he told Autosport, explaining that he had followed the event for years and had not expected to compete there so early in his career.