2025 Formula 2 Champion Leonardo Fornaroli is one of three new drivers recruited to McLaren's Driver Development Programme.

McLaren Racing today announced that 2025 FIA Formula 2 Champion Leonardo Fornaroli, 2019 Macau Grand Prix - FIA F3 World Cup winner Richard Verschoor and 2025 FIA Karting European Champion Christian Costoya have joined the McLaren Driver Development Programme.

Fornaroli, 20 years old from Piacenza, joins the programme having achieved exceptional success this season with four victories and five podiums across the Formula 2 Feature and Sprint races. These performances saw the Italian become only the third driver to achieve back-to-back championship wins in FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3, emulating Oscar Piastri and McLaren Driver Development Programme graduate, Gabriel Bortoleto.

He will take on a test and development role within the Formula 1 team's structure as part of his involvement within the programme.

Verschoor, 24 years old from Utrecht, Netherlands, joins the programme with excellent single-seater experience, including a Macau Grand Prix - F3 World Cup win in 2019. He currently sits in third in the 2025 Formula 2 Championship ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Costoya, 15 years old from Silleda, Spain, becomes part of the McLaren family with multiple karting championship and trophy victories to his name, including the 2025 FIA Karting European Championship. He has also been crowned vice-champion in both the 2023 FIA Karting World Championship and 2024 FIA Karting European Championship.

As an initial step in his development pathway, Christian will make his single-seater debut in the upcoming 2026 F4 Middle East Championship at Yas Marina Circuit on 16-18 January.

All three drivers join the team's talent pipeline, which has an overarching aim to help drivers progress towards Formula 1, IndyCar and the team's upcoming World Endurance Championship entry. The programme now currently includes Pato O'Ward, Dries van Langendonck, Ella Lloyd, Matteo De Palo, Ella Stevens and Ella Häkkinen.

"McLaren Racing are delighted to welcome two of Formula 2's current leading drivers in this year's Champion Leonardo Fornaroli and former Championship contender and fellow front-runner Richard Verschoor, as well as proven karting champion, Christian Costoya, to the McLaren Racing Driver Development Programme," said Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Chief Business Affairs Officer, McLaren Racing.

"All three talented drivers have shown great race craft with multiple wins this season, alongside a number of impressive performances in their respective championships. By welcoming Christian to the programme alongside long-standing member, Dries Van Langendonck, we now also have two of the most promising drivers coming out of karting.

"It is a key priority that we continue to develop our talent pipeline to provide options for all of our expanding racing teams. We look forward to working closely with all our drivers in 2026 as they continue their individual development at various stages of their career with the support of the programme through a wide range of testing and progression opportunities across all of our racing series."

"I'm incredibly proud to be joining the McLaren Driver Development Programme after another successful year on track," said Fornaroli. "Winning both the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles has been an important step in my journey, and I'm motivated to take the next step in my development through the programme as I work toward my ultimate goal of racing at the highest level.

"I'm very grateful to McLaren for this opportunity, and to everyone who has supported me throughout my career so far. I can't wait to get started and work closely with the rest of the team."

"I'm delighted to be part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme," added Verschoor. "It's a special moment, and I'm grateful for McLaren's support in allowing me to continue my development within the programme. I'm excited to get going and work hard with the team in the coming months."

"I am very excited to join the McLaren Driver Development Programme and become part of their talent pipeline," said Costoya." It is great to get the team's support and be in an environment that is known for developing great drivers. My thanks go to the McLaren team for this great opportunity."