Fornaroli Haas Test Tightens Doohan's F1 Route

Haas has put 2025 FIA Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli in its VF-25 for a two-day test at Jerez, a move that boosts the McLaren-backed Italian’s Formula 1 prospects and makes Jack Doohan’s route back to the grid through the same team even harder.

The team confirmed Fornaroli drove on June 17 and 18 as part of its Testing of Previous Cars program, making clear the outing was not just mileage but an assessment. Haas said it has “the ability to test and evaluate drivers through its TPC program,” and that Fornaroli was given the chance to run the VF-25 at Jerez as part of that process.

Fornaroli, 21, is arriving with momentum. He is the reigning FIA Formula 2 champion and joined McLaren as a development and test driver at the end of last year. He had already raised his profile on an official F1 weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix, where he finished fifth in Friday practice at Barcelona, eight tenths of a second off George Russell’s fastest time.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has made no secret of the fact the team wants to find a path into F1 for him. “I am very pleased with his attitude, his speed and his consistency,” Stella said. “Leonardo is clearly an asset for Formula 1 and we want to see him race. That could happen with McLaren Racing in the future, but we are also working together to explore all the opportunities that could arise in Formula 1.”

That matters for Doohan because Haas is also where he is trying to rebuild after losing his Alpine race seat six weekends into the 2025 season. Alpine replaced him with Franco Colapinto for what was presented as a five-race audition, but Colapinto remained in the car beyond that initial window, leaving Doohan to reset his career as a reserve driver.

Doohan said on Fox Sports’ Pit Talk podcast that getting back onto the F1 grid remains the target, even if it no longer carries the same all-or-nothing weight. “If I managed to get back into a car, that would be amazing,” he said. “I think there is a good opportunity, but I’m not in the same place [as last year] where it’s the be-all and end-all.”

For Haas, the Jerez test shows the team is widening its options for future seats. For Doohan, it is another reminder that every opening can quickly attract a new contender with fresh backing, recent results and immediate momentum.