Leonardo Fornaroli completes another day in F1 with McLaren at Silverstone

After its first runs in Formula 1 on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya at the beginning of March, Leonardo Fornaroli found the MCL60 — the car McLaren of 2023 — this time on one of his favorite circuits, Silverstone. He completed 68 laps, or 393 kilometers, with a program significantly more demanding than during his first outing: longer stints, variable fuel levels and alternating between hard and soft tires.

“As this was my second test session, the program was more extensive; I was therefore able to test different setups and run with different fuel levels, which helps me better understand how to drive a Formula 1 car. I am very happy with my day and I continued to improve compared to my test session a few weeks ago, feeling more and more comfortable with these cars.”"That sums it up," he says. The Italian driver claims to have continued to progress since his first outing, gaining even more ease with machines that remain very different from what he knows in junior single-seaters.

Between the two practice sessions, the champion of Formula 2 The reigning driver hasn't been idle. He attended the Japanese Grand Prix as a member of the McLaren team at the circuit and completed numerous simulator sessions at the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC), working closely with the team's engineers. This off-track work is an important part of his role as reserve driver, just as important as his track days. Further testing is planned at different circuits with the same car before the end of the year.

ALSO READ > After Piastri's podium finish, McLaren congratulates Mercedes and aims for a better chassis