McLaren's 'hidden gem' Fornaroli tipped for long-awaited F1 seat in 2027

Leonardo Fornaroli, the reigning Formula 2 champion, is being hailed as a “hidden gem” by his former Invicta Racing team boss, James Robinson. Unlike Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Oscar Piastri, and Gabriel Bortoleto—all of whom won F2 as rookies and quickly landed F1 seats—Fornaroli is the “anomaly” still waiting for his chance. After spending 2025 as a McLaren reserve driver with no 2026 race seat open, Robinson insists the Italian “unquestionably” deserves a spot on the 2027 grid.

Why it matters:

Fornaroli's resume is elite: back-to-back F3 and F2 titles, the latter won in his rookie season without any F1 team affiliation. His case highlights the brutal bottleneck in Formula 1's driver market, where even exceptional talent can be forced to wait. If Fornaroli does land a seat, it could shake up the midfield and provide McLaren with a future star in their pipeline.

The details:

• Robinson calls Fornaroli “the only driver we’ve ever had who checked every single box” in their end-of-season evaluation.
• Consistency under pressure: Fornaroli qualified in the top 10 at every race in 2025 and clinched the F2 title a full round early, with two races to spare.
• Comparisons to elite company: The list of rookie F2 champions includes Leclerc, Russell, Piastri, and Bortoleto—all now Grand Prix winners or proven frontrunners. Fornaroli is the sole exception.
• Roadblock: He joined McLaren as a reserve for 2026 but no seat opened up, echoing Piastri's 2023 sidelining after winning F2.
• Robinson: “I don’t see what more evidence people need to see that Leonardo Fornaroli is a real hidden gem.”

What's next:

With Fornaroli waiting in the wings, McLaren's driver lineup for 2027 remains fluid. Team principal Andrea Stella has praised his development runs, and a seat could materialize if a current driver moves on. Robinson is emphatic: “I’d be very disappointed if Leo wasn’t in a Formula 1 seat for next year.” Expect Fornaroli to be a hot name in the 2027 silly season.