Photo: McLaren
Leonardo Fornaroli and Richard Verschoor have revealed how they joined the McLaren Driver Development Programme.
McLaren announced their arrivals earlier this month, after rookie Fornaroli was crowned Formula 2 champion in Qatar.
Verschoor, who ended his fifth F2 season third in the standings, will switch to sportscars in the European Le Mans Series’ LMP2 prototype class next year while Fornaroli says his “programme will be announced soon” although Mclaren were “still finalising the details” in mid-December.
“I chose McLaren because it was the best choice for my career and also it provides a very nice racing programme and developing programme,” said Fornaroli.
He added to Formula Scout: “We started talking after Baku [in late September]. We also discussed with other teams, and I really appreciate the interest and efforts from the other teams. It was a completely new and humbling experience, for me seeing all this interest. But McLaren was the best choice, and we closed the deal when we were in Qatar.”
Since McLaren’s Formula 1 drivers have contracts to 2027, and finished one-two in this year’s championship, Fornaroli was asked if he would pursue a seat elsewhere to graduate to F1. He sidestepped that in his response, saying “putting all of that work in [myself going forward] is the best chance” of reaching F1.
When Formula Scout asked if McLaren would financially support a racing programme, Fornaroli said “I prefer to not answer this”, but referred in another answer to other support already received.
“I had a chat with Andrea [Stella, team principal], and the best thing he told me is that when I’m doing something both inside and outside the track, always put a goal in your mind. Because it’s like this: you’re going to achieve a great result and they’re your own goals.”
Verschoor is “very proud to be” with McLaren, and before his ELMS programme was revealed said his 2026 plans would “be decided by them”.
“There’s many opportunities within McLaren where first of all I can develop myself as a driver,” beamed Verschoor.
“I’m able to work with all the engineers that work there from multiple categories. Which for sure I can learn a lot from. Not only that, I think the whole package is there within McLaren where I can take use of.”
Verschoor first talked to McLaren in April: “After a race in Jeddah that I won, I decided to walk to [Mclaren’s chief executive officer] Zak Brown, and that’s when things kind of kickstarted. I’m not sure if that helped in the end. I think it did. Because at that time, we didn’t get to a point where we could work together.
“But then later on in the year, around Baku, is when things and the contact was there again. And from thereon we started speaking. They spoke that they would like to consider me as their driver. And to be honest it was quite late that I signed the contract. Just before [Qatar]. It was a nerve-wracking few months, but very happy.”