Fornaroli Steps in for Oscar Piastri at Interlagos
Reigning Formula 2 champion Leo Fornaroli will drive Oscar Piastri’s McLaren in the opening practice session of the São Paulo Grand Prix, PlanetF1 reported, as the team fulfills its mandatory young driver obligations for the 2026 season.
Fornaroli replaces Piastri for the FP1 session at Interlagos this weekend. The Italian driver previously took over Lando Norris’ MCL40 car during practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix, where he finished 17th fastest in a session heavily populated by junior drivers.
From Development Driver to Reserve Role
The 21-year-old joined McLaren last year as a development driver before securing a promotion to reserve driver a month later. After fellow reserve driver Pato O’Ward told McLaren CEO Zak Brown to dismiss him, Fornaroli stepped in as the sole driver handling the team’s required young driver outings. His first run in the MCL40 took place in Barcelona, followed by subsequent appearances in Hungary and Mexico. This weekend marks his second FP1 appearance.
McLaren Brings Upgrades to Interlagos to Chase Red Bull
Pitlane Daily noted that McLaren arrives in Brazil trailing Red Bull by 17 points, actively looking to claw back third place in the Constructors’ Championship. To aid that push, the team is bringing a package of upgrades to Interlagos.
Leo with all the places to chill on the weekend 🤝#McLarenF1 | #BrazilGP 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/7sqrWzzBdE
Peter Prodromou Details Aerodynamic Updates for São Paulo
Peter Prodromou, McLaren’s chief technical officer of aerodynamics, outlined the development plans for the weekend. “We’ve got some updates coming to the car across the front wing, rear wing and some floor components as part of our normal development cycle,” Prodromou said, according to PlanetF1.
“The aim is to make up ground, improve our performance over the remaining races and build momentum into next year. São Paulo has been a good circuit for us in the past and is a fairly representative track, so we’re hopeful these upgrades can help us take another step towards the front,” Prodromou added. He also confirmed that elements of the new front wing design are intended to carry over into next year’s launch specification.
Weekend Atmosphere in the McLaren Paddock
Ahead of the track action in Brazil, Norris and Piastri shared lighthearted exchanges with Fornaroli regarding his limited track time compared to a full-time race weekend schedule, prompting the official McLaren social channels to highlight the rookie’s relaxed paddock presence.
