McLaren uses Portimão test for 2027 F1 return

McLaren completed a two-day Testing of Previous Cars run at Portimão in its 2023 MCL60, using the Algarve outing to prepare for Formula 1’s return to Portugal in 2027 while giving Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and reserve driver Leonardo Fornaroli valuable mileage before the summer break.

At a circuit that will rejoin the calendar in 2027 and 2028, McLaren spread the work across its two race drivers and its reserve, with Norris completing 49 laps, Piastri 55 and Fornaroli 47. Across the test, the trio covered a reported total of 698 km in the MCL60.

The exercise served a dual purpose for McLaren. Norris and Piastri were able to build familiarity with a venue Formula 1 will not visit competitively again for another two seasons, while Fornaroli used the run as part of his development programme and reserve duties. McLaren said the test gave the Italian the chance to observe both race drivers up close, not only in their driving but also in how they delivered feedback to the team.

For Norris, the track carried personal significance as well as practical value. In quotes provided by McLaren, Lando Norris said the outing was “a productive test” and added: “This was where I drove an F1 car for the very first time, so it’s a special track for me.” He said the circuit remained enjoyable because of its “fun, challenging corners,” and that McLaren “were able to complete everything we wanted and add some valuable mileage.”

Piastri arrived with no previous experience of the Portimão Formula 1 layout, which made his running a straightforward piece of preparation as much as a routine TPC day. He said “the changing conditions made it an interesting place to drive” and that the “elevation changes made it really fun.” Just as important for McLaren, Piastri said the team completed “the entire programme we set out to do,” underlining that the test delivered what it was meant to despite the circuit’s shifting conditions.

Fornaroli’s role gave the test an added layer beyond simple circuit familiarization. Fresh from an FP1 outing for McLaren in Hungary, he said the Portimão running mattered to his growth because it was his first time at the track and because working alongside Norris and Piastri offered a direct view of how established race drivers approach changing grip and communicate with engineers.

In quotes reported from the test, Fornaroli said every opportunity to drive the MCL60 in a TPC setting was important for his development. He described it as “fantastic” to work beside Norris and Piastri, adding that watching how they handled different conditions and listening to their feedback created “valuable” learning experiences. With wind making conditions more complicated, he said there was “a lot to learn,” which turned a quiet pre-break test into a meaningful development step for both McLaren’s 2027 track preparation and its reserve driver program.