The Next Generation: Nikola Tsolov

How my motorsport journey started

“It started back in 2016, in Bulgaria, with a category called Mini Bulgaria, actually. That is the slowest karts. I was just nine years old, and I pretty much won every race, then won the championship.

“Obviously from then on I progressed into international karting, mainly Italy. And then made the step into Formula 4 back in 2022.”

How I got into Fernando Alonso’s management scheme

“I was basically racing for his karting team, and that was supported by him, obviously. I was doing well in his affiliated karting team; we had a few encounters, he saw the potential in me, and he decided to support the early stages of my single-seater career. Obviously he helped me to go in F4, and my first two years in F3.

“Now I’m no longer part of the A14 Management, but I’m currently in the Red Bull junior programme, since last year, which also has played a huge part in my career.”

My strengths as a driver

“As a driver, obviously you want to believe you’re the fastest. I think it’s a strength I have, pure pace. I think another huge strength I’m figuring out recently is the fact that I don’t feel like I have a limit or a plateau in my learning process. So the more I drive, the more I develop, the more I learn, the faster I go. And this is quite cool, because I never see a stop of improvement, let’s say.

“I’m already at a very good level, and I feel confident with what I’m able to do now. But I believe there is more to come, and I can become better. So day by day, I hope to keep improving and keep learning, because this is what drives me. This is my purpose, you know, to keep learning every day.”

Nikola Tsolov, Campos Racing

Photo by: James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

My weaknesses as a driver

[he carefully ponders the topic] “It’s a pretty difficult question, because there are stronger points and less strong points. You know, I don’t think you can be at the level we are and have a weak point. It’s rather one thing is better than the other, but nothing is really weak. So it’s hard to answer this question, but it really depends on the day or on the track.

“Maybe the fact that I can always keep improving. Maybe my base level is not good enough.

“Let’s say my weak points are all the stuff that you need to do related to image outside of the car, where you need to spend a lot of time with that. Let’s say I don’t really enjoy spending too much time trying to look good, let’s say.

“It’s not the most enjoyable thing in my sport, I would say, or in any sport. If I could choose to just drive, I would take that.”

My standout performance so far in 2026

“I have to say the whole Silverstone weekend [fifth in qualifying, then a double win]. I think we worked really hard. I felt satisfied with myself in quali. We improved with the team the car, run by run, which was very cool to see, that improvement, every session. We just maximised the race as much as we could. And then obviously the feature race, everything went to plan. It was a really cool weekend.”

My most memorable achievement so far

“I’m still not going to forget winning the Formula 4 Spanish Championship. That was really cool, and making the perfect weekend in the last weekend I raced there.

“My first win in Formula 3 back in Monaco.

“And hopefully this year. I hope there are many more better moments to come.”

My time at the Alpine and now Red Bull academies

“Alpine scouted me in my first Formula 4 test, so I had a lot of pressure, because my first time driving F4, I had an Alpine scout there to see if I’m good enough to sign me into the academy. He was pretty happy, pretty impressed, so they signed me.

“And then I had a great three seasons with them, actually, when we won the Spanish F4, obviously, and then a tough two years in F3. But then an opportunity opened up for me at Red Bull. At the time we thought it was the best decision to make; clearly, looking at it now, it was.

Nikola Tsolov, Campos Racing

Photo by: James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

“And Red Bull has been extremely useful and a step ahead of everyone. I have that feeling. The way they managed to prepare their drivers, obviously speaking from personal experience, it’s impressive. So, my learning curve really made a jump as soon as I joined Red Bull.

“They just give you 100% all the time, in anything you need. Whatever you need and that you think can give you performance, you just ask them to get it and you get it. And that’s why they expect 100% from you as well.

“A lot of people say it’s pretty harsh, the Red Bull Junior Team, especially when Helmut [Marko] was still in charge. But for me, it makes sense and it should be that way because if they give 100% from themselves for you to do the best job possible, then they expect you to deliver 100% of the results. So it matches, you know.”

What I enjoy doing outside of racing

“Different kinds of sports. I’m a sports guy, I’m athletic, so I enjoy activities, even board games with friends and listening to music quite a lot. I enjoy music, I just gather with friends, play games. So it’s quite cool.”

In what year I expect my F1 debut

“I hope 2027, but you never know. I think this is something no one can know until you sign.”

Nikola Tsolov’s career so far

*season in progress

2026 Formula 2 standings

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– The Motorsport.com Team