McLaren substitutes Oscar Piastri for Hungarian Grand Prix practice
McLaren have confirmed that Oscar Piastri will sit out the opening practice session at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, with the team handing his MCL40 over to rising star Leonardo Fornaroli, reports BritPanorama.
The 21-year-old Italian will take the wheel for Friday’s FP1 at the Hungaroring, marking his second outing with the Woking-based outfit this season. Fornaroli previously stepped into Lando Norris’s car during first practice at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix last month.
Formula One regulations require every team to allocate a minimum of four practice sessions each year to young drivers, defined as those who have participated in no more than two Grand Prix starts. Piastri, 25, will be back in the cockpit for the second practice session later on Friday.
The 2026 campaign has been subdued for McLaren, contrasting sharply with their commanding form last year. The team has slipped behind both Mercedes and Ferrari in the competitive order, still seeking their first victory of the season despite several podium finishes.
Piastri currently occupies sixth in the drivers’ standings, just one point clear of four-time world champion Max Verstappen after finishing fifth at last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix. Norris holds the higher position of the two McLaren drivers in the championship.
Budapest represents the team’s final opportunity to break their win drought before the three-week summer shutdown. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli arrives in Hungary as the dominant force, chasing a seventh triumph from eleven races.
McLaren are bringing a package of upgrades to the Hungaroring, including a revised floor, aerodynamic enhancements, and a novel “flip-over” wing, also referred to as a “macarena” wing. However, with Fornaroli occupying his car during the opening session, Piastri will have less time than teammate Norris to familiarise himself with the updated machinery before the qualifying and race.
The Australian made contact with Charles Leclerc on lap eight in Belgium while attempting an overtake but managed to salvage a fifth-place finish. Despite those challenges, Piastri remains a genuine contender at the sharp end of the field, though Norris enters the weekend as McLaren’s strongest prospect for a breakthrough result in Budapest.
Fornaroli’s credentials are formidable. The Italian secured consecutive Formula Three and Formula Two championships before claiming last year’s F2 title. He has also completed testing duties with Haas as he pursues a full-time seat on the 2027 grid.
Speaking ahead of Friday’s session, Fornaroli said, “I’m looking forward to driving the MCL40 in this weekend’s Free Practice One at the Hungaroring. It’s going to be another fantastic opportunity to continue my development with the car and build on the valuable work we completed together with the team in Barcelona. I’ve been very busy in Woking over the past few weeks preparing this session in both the simulator and at the Optimum Nutrition McLaren Performance Hub, to make sure I’ll be ready as I can.” He added, “I can’t wait to get out on track on Friday, have fun and make the most of every lap to help the team.”
With the prospect of upgrades and a young driver stepping in, McLaren is balancing opportunity and risk. How this weekend unfolds could define their approach for the rest of the season. A reminder, perhaps, that in Formula One, every opportunity is a double-edged sword.
