Star McLaren junior’s 2027 race plans announced as F1 door closed

Star McLaren junior Leonardo Fornaroli will join McLaren’s Hypercar programme in the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship after a Formula 1 opportunity didn’t materialise.

Fornaroli has an impressive recent CV, having followed in the footsteps of Oscar Piastri in winning the FIA Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles back-to-back in 2024 and 2025.

He has served this year as a reserve driver for McLaren in F1, making two FP1 appearances this year at Barcelona and the Hungaroring.

But with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri contracted to McLaren through 2027, Fornaroli’s options for a race seat were limited.

Fornaroli will spearhead McLaren’s Le Mans return

McLaren has announced that Fornaroli will continue as its F1 reserve next year, but will dovetail this with his debut in the FIA WEC with the brand’s new Hypercar project.

He will drive the MCL-HY along with Alex Lynn, Mikkel Jensen and Laurens Vanthoor, as the team nears completing its line-up for its two cars.

This will include a maiden appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Fornaroli, as McLaren makes its long-awaited top-class return.

“Joining the McLaren Hypercar Team is an incredibly exciting next step in my career and I’m grateful that my role as McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 reserve driver has opened up this incredible opportunity,” he said. 

“I’m delighted to be continuing in that role next year while also taking on this new challenge.

“To represent McLaren in the FIA World Endurance Championship and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a huge honour, and I am ready to give everything as we take on this new challenge together.

“I’d like to thank the McLaren Driver Development Programme for supporting me throughout my journey and for giving me the opportunity to develop my skills on such a competitive and prestigious stage.”

McLaren Hypercar team boss James Barclay added: “Leo is an exceptional talent: winning Formula 3 is a significant achievement, but to follow that by winning Formula 2 as a rookie underlines his natural talent and one of the most exciting drivers in motorsport.

“His speed, consistency and maturity at such a young age helped him achieve a huge amount in the junior categories and those same attributes make him an exciting addition to our McLaren Hypercar Team.

“We have a great driver lineup forming, which blends experienced sports car drivers and now young talent for our debut season.

“I worked with Leo briefly in my previous role and his approach and performance impressed me very much, we both look forward to taking on McLaren’s debut season in the World Endurance Championship together.”