Leonardo Fornaroli, the 21-year-old Formula 2 champion, is set to take the wheel of Haas’s previous-year Formula 1® car at Jerez this Wednesday and Thursday. This outing forms part of the two-day Testing of Previous Cars programme, offering him a chance to adapt to top-tier machinery in a controlled environment.
Fornaroli’s test at Jerez represents a key step in his bid to secure a seat on the 2027 Formula 1® grid. Less than a week earlier, he made his first appearance in an F1® session during the opening practice at the Barcelona Grand Prix for McLaren Racing, posting the fifth-quickest time and trailing George Russell by 0.8 seconds.
McLaren’s development driver coach, Andrea Stella, has spoken highly of Fornaroli’s approach, praising his attitude, speed and consistency and describing him as “an asset for Formula 1®”. Meanwhile, Haas reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa is also scheduled to share the running in Jerez, giving both participants valuable seat time in last year’s car.
The Spanish test track has hosted previous car sessions, with teams relying on it to offer newcomers a taste of F1® performance away from race weekends. During this two-day slot, both Fornaroli and Hirakawa will rotate through dedicated runs, logging laps that focus solely on machine familiarisation.
Fornaroli’s debut at the Barcelona Grand Prix underlined his readiness to tackle F1® machinery. By ranking fifth in FP1, he not only matched the pace of established drivers but also demonstrated the kind of consistency that has drawn praise from McLaren’s coaching staff.
With ambitions firmly set on a 2027 Formula 1® race seat, Fornaroli will use his Jerez mileage to build his case. These sessions allow him to experience the unique demands of aerodynamic balance, braking stability and the overall weight distribution of an F1® car long before a race weekend arrives.
Ryo Hirakawa will join the running, allowing each driver to log track time and gain first-hand understanding of car behaviour outside a Grand Prix context. Such laps contribute directly to a driver’s learning curve when stepping up from junior categories.
As the 2024 Formula 1® season continues, events like the Jerez test remain vital for emerging talents. Fornaroli’s challenge over these two days will mark another milestone on his path toward a full-time race seat in the years to come.
