Nikola Tsolov
Bulgarian racing driver (born 2006)
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Nikola Dimitrov Tsolov (Bulgarian: Никола Димитров Цолов, pronounced [ni'kɔɫa dimiˈtrɔf ˈt͡sɔɫɔf]; born 21 December 2006) is a Bulgarian racing driver who competes in the FIA Formula 2 Championship for Campos Racing as part of the Red Bull Junior Team.
21 December 2006
BulgarianNikola Tsolov | |
|---|---|
Никола Цолов | |
Tsolov at the 2025 Monza Formula 3 round | |
| Born | Nikola Dimitrov Tsolov 21 December 2006 Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Nationality | Bulgarian |
| FIA Formula 2 Championship career | |
| Debut season | 2025 |
| Current team | Campos Racing |
| Car number | 6 |
| Starts | 20 |
| Wins | 6 |
| Podiums | 9 |
| Poles | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 2 |
| Best finish | 18th in 2025 |
| Previous series | |
| Championship titles | |
| 2022 | F4 Spanish |
| Statistics up to date as of 19 July 2026. | |
| Website | nikolatsolov |
Born and raised in Sofia, Tsolov began competitive kart racing aged nine, winning several national and continental titles before graduating to junior formulae in 2022. He won the F4 Spanish Championship in his rookie season. Nicknamed "the Bulgarian Lion",[a] he broke the record for most wins (5) in FIA Formula 3 from 2023 to 2025, finishing runner-up to Rafael Câmara in the latter.
A member of the Alpine Academy from 2022 to 2024 and the Red Bull Junior Team since 2025, Tsolov completed his first Formula One showrun in June 2025, driving the Red Bull RB7 in Sofia.
Racing career
Karting (2016–2021)
The Bulgarian Lion (a nickname that he gained early in his career)[1] started his karting career in 2016, supported by his father Dimitar.[4] He became Republican champion in 2016 and 2017 in the Bulgarian Mini class.
In 2018, Tsolov moved to the Italian championships.[5] He won the WSK Open Cup in 60 Mini karts in 2019.[6] He then came seventh in the CIK-FIA World Championship in OKJ in 2020, and was second in the 2021 WSK Final Cup in OK, driving for DPK Racing as part of Fernando Alonso's FA Racing team.[7] Tsolov was invited by Alonso to drive alongside him, Pedro de la Rosa, Ángel Burgueño, and Alberto Fernandez in the 2021 edition of 24h Endurance race in Dubai, where they finished 3rd.[8][9]
Formula 4 (2022)
After competing for Fernando Alonso's karting team for two years, Tsolov became one of the first drivers to join A14 Management along with Clément Novalak.[10] Tsolov joined the F4 Spanish Championship for 2022 with Campos.[11] He started the season at Algarve with a double pole.[12] In the first race, he finished 14th after a problem at the start, but he finished in fifth in the second race and won the third, along with setting the fastest lap in every race.[13] He kept the good pace in the second round at the Circuito de Jerez by setting a pole position and a fastest lap in all three races, finishing second in the first race and winning second and third races, which took him to the lead of the championship.[14] The next weekend at Circuit Ricardo Tormo he dominated the field, winning all three starts along with two pole-positions and another three fastest laps.[15] Tsolov secured his championship win on 2 October, after finishing second in the third race at Circuito de Navarra, winning the title three races before the end of season.[16]
Formula Three (2023–2025)
2023: Debut in FIA Formula 3
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In September 2022, Tsolov took part in the FIA Formula 3 post-season test, driving for ART Grand Prix.[17][18][19] On 19 December it was announced that he would be one of ART Grand Prix drivers for the 2023 season.[20] In February 2023, Tsolov took part in the last round of Formula Regional Middle East Championship driving for R&B Racing by GRS, as part of his preparation for F3.[21] In the first race of the weekend, he finished in ninth place, finished sixth place in the second race and 15th in the third one. He was the only driver to score points for R&B Racing in the championship.[22]
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Across his campaign in FIA Formula 3, Tsolov scored two points finishes in the sprint races in Spa-Francorchamps and Monza. He finished the season in 22nd place. Shortly after the season, Tsolov contested Eurocup-3 with GRS Team. He entered two of the eight rounds, finishing the championship in tenth place with two podiums.[23]
2024: Maiden victories
ART Grand Prix retained Tsolov for the 2024 season.[24] His first victory came in Monaco, where he won the sprint race.[25] He was the first Bulgarian driver to win a race in the series.[26] His second win of the season came in the sprint race in round 6 of the championship in Spielberg,[27] and he took a third in the Hungary feature race.[28] Tsolov would miss the round at Spa-Francorchamps due to racing there in Eurocup-3 because of the rule that you cannot drive at an circuit on the F3 or F2 calendar if you race there earlier in the year. Because Tsolov was barred from competing, he was replaced by Tuukka Taponen.[29] He finished the season in 11th overall. Alongside his FIA Formula 3 campaign, Tsolov signed with GRS Team to compete in the full 2024 Eurocup-3 season.[30] He finished 11th in the championship with only one podium.
2025: Runner-up to Câmara
In the 2025 off-season, Tsolov competed in one round of the 2025 Eurocup-3 Spanish Winter Championship with Campos Racing.[31] He finished races one and two in fourth place, and retired from race three. He finished 12th in the standings with 22 points. Tsolov returned to Campos Racing, the team he won the 2022 F4 Spanish Championship with, for his third FIA Formula 3 season, partnering Mari Boya and Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak.[32] He took his first win of the season in Bahrain, equalling the record for most wins in the series.[33] In Monaco, Tsolov took his maiden F3 pole position, topping the Group A session ahead of teammate Boya.[34] He went on to win the feature race, making him the first driver to win five races in FIA Formula 3.[35]
FIA Formula 2 (2025–present)
2025: Debut
Tsolov made an early debut in FIA Formula 2 in 2025, replacing Formula E–bound Pepe Martí at Campos Racing for the closing two rounds.[36] On debut in Lusail, he qualified seventh. At the sprint race in Abu Dhabi, Tsolov finished third, getting his first podium finish in Formula 2.[37]
2026: Rookie season
In September 2025, Tsolov was announced as a full-time driver for 2026, remaining with Campos.[38] Tsolov won the feature race at the opening round at Melbourne, getting his first victory in Formula 2. His next win came in the sprint race of the Miami Grand Prix, making him the first ever F2 winner in Miami after a skirmish with Van Hoepen who was 0.170 seconds behind Tsolov.[39] His third win of the season came in the Feature Race in Monaco, starting in second behind his 2025 F3 rival Rafael Camara, who was on pole position. Camara led the race until lap 34, when, after a pit stop, he struggled to bring his cold tyres up to temperature and locked up, running wide at Sainte-Dévote and retiring from the race. This allowed Tsolov to take the lead and win the race. He also set the fastest lap.[40] The next weekend in the sprint race in Barcelona he ended with a podium on P3.[41] After that in the Feature race in Austria at the Red Bull Ring he got his fourth win starting from P3.[42] Then his most dominant weekend of his career came at Silverstone where he ended up qualifying 5th for the feature race and 6th for the sprint. In the sprint Tsolov made a good start, going up to P3 by turn 1. He overtook Rafael Villagómez on lap 9, taking P2 and overtook Gabriele Minì on the last lap to take the win. In the feature race he again made a good launch of the line and went up to P2, behind Kush Maini, whom he overtook on lap 20 to win the feature race. He was the first driver to win both the sprint and feature races in a weekend since Zane Maloney, who won the 2024 Sakhir Formula 2 round. Tsolov also became the first driver in FIA Formula 2 history to win 3 races in a row.[43][44]
Formula One
Tsolov became a member of the Alpine Affiliate programme in March 2022.[45] On 14 February 2023, he was promoted to a full member of Alpine Academy.[46] On 4 November 2024, Tsolov announced on social media that he would leave the academy with immediate effect.[47] One day later, he was announced to be joining the Red Bull Junior Team for 2025.[48] He debuted in Formula One machinery at a Sofia Red Bull showrun that June, driving the Red Bull RB7.[49]
In June 2026 Spanish media SoyMotor alleged that Tsolov has a guaranteed seat in Racing Bulls seat for the 2027 Formula One season, in the place of Liam Lawson, but later dismissed by the Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane.[50]
In July it was revealed by Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer that the team are planning to hold a Testing of Previous Cars(TPC) test with Tsolov later in the year.[51]
His second running in Formula One machinery was at the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where he drove the Red Bull RB8 painted with a Racing Bulls livery.[52]
Karting record
Karting career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Bulgarian Republic Championship — Mini | 1st | |
| 2017 | Bulgarian Republic Championship — Mini | 1st | |
| ROK Cup Italy — Mini ROK | Speed Kart | 25th | |
| 2018 | WSK Open Cup — 60 Mini | Birel ART Racing | 33rd |
| WSK Final Cup — 60 Mini | 21st | ||
| 2019 | South Garda Winter Cup — Mini ROK | Newman Motorsport | 14th |
| WSK Super Master Series — 60 Mini | 14th | ||
| Italian Championship — 60 Mini | Team Driver Racing Kart | 12th | |
| Trofeo delle Industrie — 60 Mini | 11th | ||
| WSK Euro Series — 60 Mini | 11th | ||
| ROK Cup Superfinal — Mini ROK | 12th | ||
| WSK Open Cup — 60 Mini | 1st | ||
| WSK Final Cup — 60 Mini | 13th | ||
| 2020 | WSK Champions Cup — OK-J | DPK Racing | 11th |
| South Garda Winter Cup — OK-J | 11th | ||
| WSK Super Master Series — OK-J | NC | ||
| CIK-FIA European Championship — OK-J | 19th | ||
| WSK Euro Series — OK-J | 11th | ||
| Champions of the Future — OK-J | 15th | ||
| CIK-FIA World Championship — OK-J | 7th | ||
| WSK Open Cup — OK | 5th | ||
| 2021 | WSK Champions Cup — OK | DPK Racing | 8th |
| Trofeo del Grifone — OK | 1st | ||
| WSK Super Master Series — OK | 8th | ||
| WSK Euro Series — OK | 4th | ||
| Italian Championship — X30 Senior | 2nd | ||
| CIK-FIA European Championship — OK | 4th | ||
| WSK Open Cup — OK | 5th | ||
| Champions of the Future — OK | 3rd | ||
| CIK-FIA World Championship — OK | 5th | ||
| South Garda Winter Cup — OK | 4th | ||
| WSK Final Cup — OK | 2nd | ||
| 24 Hours of Dubai — Superkarts | MD Racing | 3rd | |
| Sources:[53][54] | |||
Complete CIK-FIA Karting European Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Complete Karting World Championship results
Racing record
Racing career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | F4 Spanish Championship | Campos Racing | 21 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 400 | 1st |
| 2023 | Formula Regional Middle East Championship | R&B Racing by GRS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 23rd |
| FIA Formula 3 Championship | ART Grand Prix | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 22nd | |
| Macau Grand Prix | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/a | DNF | ||
| Eurocup-3 | GRS Team | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 44 | 10th | |
| 2024 | FIA Formula 3 Championship | ART Grand Prix | 18 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 75 | 11th |
| Eurocup-3 | GRS Team | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 47 | 11th | |
| 2025 | Eurocup-3 Spanish Winter Championship | Campos Racing | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 12th |
| FIA Formula 3 Championship | 19 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 124 | 2nd | ||
| FIA Formula 2 Championship | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 18th | ||
| 2026 | FIA Formula 2 Championship | Campos Racing | 17 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 161* | 1st* |
* Season still in progress.
Complete F4 Spanish Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Complete Formula Regional Middle East Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
† – Driver did not finish the race but was classified, as he completed more than 90% of the race distance.
Complete FIA Formula 3 Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate points for the fastest lap of the top-10 finishers)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | ART Grand Prix | BHR SPR 26 |
BHR FEA 15 |
MEL SPR 11 |
MEL FEA 21 |
MON SPR 14 |
MON FEA 11 |
CAT SPR 13 |
CAT FEA 19 |
RBR SPR 16 |
RBR FEA 16 |
SIL SPR 15 |
SIL FEA 11 |
HUN SPR Ret |
HUN FEA 25 |
SPA SPR 7 |
SPA FEA 17 |
MNZ SPR 9 |
MNZ FEA 12 |
22nd | 6 | ||
| 2024 | ART Grand Prix | BHR SPR 4 |
BHR FEA 11 |
MEL SPR 20 |
MEL FEA 19 |
IMO SPR 13 |
IMO FEA 26 |
MON SPR 1 |
MON FEA 27 |
CAT SPR 13 |
CAT FEA 6 |
RBR SPR 1 |
RBR FEA 6 |
SIL SPR 5 |
SIL FEA 15 |
HUN SPR 29 |
HUN FEA 1 |
SPA SPR |
SPA FEA |
MNZ SPR 19 |
MNZ FEA 17 |
11th | 75 |
| 2025 | Campos Racing | MEL SPR 8 |
MEL FEA Ret |
BHR SPR 1 |
BHR FEA 5 |
IMO SPR 3 |
IMO FEA 9 |
MON SPR 24 |
MON FEA 1 |
CAT SPR 3 |
CAT FEA 5 |
RBR SPR 3 |
RBR FEA DSQ |
SIL SPR 29 |
SIL FEA 20 |
SPA SPR 4 |
SPA FEA C |
HUN SPR 15 |
HUN FEA 6 |
MNZ SPR 22 |
MNZ FEA 2 |
2nd | 124 |
Complete Macau Grand Prix results
| Year | Team | Car | Qualifying | Quali Race | Main race |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 |  ART Grand Prix |
Dallara F3 2019 | 15th | 13th | DNF |
Complete Eurocup-3 results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Complete Eurocup-3 Spanish Winter Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Complete FIA Formula 2 Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate points for the fastest lap of the top-10 finishers)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Campos Racing | MEL SPR |
MEL FEA |
BHR SPR |
BHR FEA |
JED SPR |
JED FEA |
IMO SPR |
IMO FEA |
MON SPR |
MON FEA |
CAT SPR |
CAT FEA |
RBR SPR |
RBR FEA |
SIL SPR |
SIL FEA |
SPA SPR |
SPA FEA |
HUN SPR |
HUN FEA |
MNZ SPR |
MNZ FEA |
BAK SPR |
BAK FEA |
LSL SPR 10 |
LSL FEA 7 |
YMC SPR 3 |
YMC FEA 12 |
18th | 12 |
| 2026 | Campos Racing | MEL SPR 17 |
MEL FEA 1 |
MIA SPR 1 |
MIA FEA Ret |
MTL SPR 14 |
MTL FEA 12 |
MON SPR 10 |
MON FEA 1 |
CAT SPR 3 |
CAT FEA 4 |
RBR SPR 8 |
RBR FEA 1 |
SIL SPR 1 |
SIL FEA 1 |
SPA SPR 4 |
SPA FEA 3 |
HUN SPR Ret |
HUN FEA 7 |
MNZ SPR |
MNZ FEA |
MAD SPR |
MAD FEA |
BAK SPR |
BAK FEA |
LSL SPR |
LSL FEA |
YMC SPR |
YMC FEA |
1st* | 167* |
* Season still in progress.
Notes
- Following his successes in FIA Formula 3, Tsolov was nicknamed the Bulgarian Lion (Bulgarian: Българският лъв) in domestic media, in reference to the national animal of Bulgaria, which features on the coat of arms.[1][2][3]