Alex Jacques thinks it ‘won’t be long’ until F1 teams are queueing up to sign three-time Formula 2 winner

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The Formula 1 driver market could throw up some interesting moves for the 2026 season, with a handful of seats available.

Formula 1 commentator Alex Jacques has been speaking exclusively to F1 Oversteer as the 2025 campaign heads into the summer break.

With Max Verstappen set to stay at Red Bull in 2026 amid links to Mercedes, there are not expected to be any significant moves in the Formula 1 driver market. But there are still some seats to confirm for next season, with Red Bull having the biggest headache.

Yuki Tsunoda, Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar are all out of contract, with rumours swirling about where the trio may end up. Laurent Mekies will let Tsunoda finish the 2025 season, but his future beyond that is uncertain, with Hadjar being tipped to replace him at Red Bull.

Lawson is set to stay at Racing Bulls, with young talent Arvid Lindblad being backed to step up from Formula 2 in 2026. Jacques does not think it will be long until F1 teams are flocking to sign another star in the step below.

Alex Jacques thinks it ‘won’t be long’ until F1 teams sign Leonardo Fornaroli

Four drivers moved up from F2 to F1 in 2025, with many others this season attracting interest from the paddock for the future. Alex Dunne seriously impressed with McLaren during FP1 at the Austrian GP, with the Irishman fighting for the title.

Following victory in the Feature Race in Hungary, Italian star Leonardo Fornaroli now leads the championship by 17 points. Speaking with F1 Oversteer, Jacques is backing the 20-year-old to sign with an F1 team.

“It’s interesting that, isn’t it? Because it’s incredibly difficult to get there if you’re not part of a program, as Felipe Drugovich found, he was the champion in 2022,” he said.

“But that affiliation to a Formula 1 team is crucial. It was a very open season last year in F3. But I’ll put it this way. If he keeps winning Feature Races in the manner that he did on Sunday, it won’t be long until he’s wearing a Formula 1 team’s colours.

“You’re going to look at what Bortoleto did; he won with the same team that Bortoleto won with in Formula 3. He’s leading the championship now in the same team that Bortoleto won with in Formula 2.

“If he can get a run going, if he can even win the next Feature Race in Formula 2, getting in the shop window around September is so important for a driver.

“I don’t think he’ll be in the yellow overalls that he currently sports around the paddock. I think he’ll be in Formula 1 colours sooner rather than later. It’s an ultra-competitive championship as well, though.

“I think that one’s going to the wire, and to be honest, that can sometimes work against you.

“Bortoleto was signed very late last year because of his standout performances. But if you’re in a title battle, sometimes that can work against you. So, great results in September can put you in the shop window. And that’s the challenge for Fornaroli in Monza.”

READ MORE: Alex Jacques doesn’t think ‘anyone would fancy’ replacing one F1 driver after the Hungarian GP

Is Leonardo Fornaroli ready for a move to Formula 1?

Fornaroli made a name for himself by winning the Formula 3 title last season, beating fellow compatriot Gabriele Mini at the final round at Monza.

Replacing Gabriel Bortoleto at Invicta Racing in F2 this year, the Italian has enjoyed a strong start to life in the category. He has collected three wins thus far in 2025 as he battles with Jak Crawford, Richard Verschoor and Dunne for the championship.

Fornaroli is not currently signed to an F1 academy; doing so would be greatly beneficial for his chances of joining the grid in the future. However, a promotion for 2026 does seem unlikely, given the competition for places.

A move to Red Bull’s setup seems incredibly unlikely, while Alpine are speaking to Valtteri Bottas over a possible deal for 2026, replacing Franco Colapinto. Cadillac seems like Fornaroli’s only realistic option, but even then, they are speaking to multiple candidates.

There is no question that the Italian is a serious talent who could definitely excite fans and pundits in the F1 paddock. The problem he faces is that, like the likes of Felipe Drugovich and Theo Pourchaire, he has limited opportunities.