McLaren Racing has significantly bolstered its future talent pipeline by announcing three exciting additions to its Driver Development Programme (MDDP). The recruitment is headlined by newly crowned 2025 FIA Formula 2 Champion, Leonardo Fornaroli. The 20-year-old Italian will join the programme, which aims to feed talent into McLaren’s expanding racing efforts across Formula 1, IndyCar, and the World Endurance Championship (WEC).
Fornaroli is joined by his Formula 2 competitor, Richard Verschoor. The 24-year-old Dutchman, who is a proven race winner and former Macau Grand Prix champion, will also take on a key test and development role within the Formula 1 structure. Their simultaneous signing ensures McLaren has two of the most current and experienced drivers coming straight out of the F2 championship.
Rounding out the trio is 15-year-old Spanish karting sensation Christian Costoya. The 2025 FIA Karting European Champion joins the MDDP at the grassroots level, and is set to make his single-seater debut in the 2026 F4 Middle East Championship. This signing demonstrates McLaren’s continued commitment to scouting talent from the very beginning of their professional careers.
The McLaren Driver Development Additions fill key spots in the roster, confirming the team’s ongoing investment in talent. Alessandro Alunni Bravi, head of the MDDP, expressed delight at securing three drivers who represent different stages of the motorsport ladder, ensuring the Woking team has a steady pipeline of options for the future.
