McLaren have formally unveiled their driver framework for the 2026 Formula One campaign, bringing clarity to their personnel strategy as the sport edges closer to a transformative regulatory era. The confirmation arrives with the Woking-based outfit firmly atop the competitive hierarchy, defending both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ World Championships.
The 2025 season proved emphatic for McLaren, as they successfully repelled sustained pressure from Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari to retain the constructors’ crown. Lando Norris capped the year with a career-defining triumph, clinching the drivers’ title by a razor-thin two-point margin over Max Verstappen, sealing McLaren’s first individual championship since Lewis Hamilton’s triumph in 2008.
With less than two months remaining before the new season begins, attention has shifted toward McLaren’s reserve and development structure. During 2025, the team rotated emerging talent through free practice outings in compliance with the FIA’s rookie testing mandate, with names such as Pato O’Ward and Alex Dunne gaining valuable Formula One exposure.
That landscape shifted late last year when Dunne departed the organisation, prompting McLaren to swiftly elevate Leonardo Fornaroli into their development ranks. On Thursday, the team confirmed that Fornaroli and O’Ward will jointly assume reserve driver responsibilities for 2026, with Fornaroli balancing the role alongside his test and development duties, while O’Ward continues his parallel commitments in the NTT IndyCar Series.
At just 21 years old, Fornaroli arrives with a formidable résumé, having already captured both Formula 2 and Formula 3 titles. Widely regarded as one of motorsport’s most refined prospects, he is expected to play an active role in simulator work and on-track testing, contributing to McLaren’s technical evolution as Formula One prepares to enter a bold new chapter under revised regulations.
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