2026 F2 SEASON
BULGARIA · BGR
SOFIA · 21.12.2006

Nikola Tsolov — Bulgarian F2 Driver, Red Bull Junior, Campos Racing

TSOLOV
the bulgarian lion
Bulgaria's first FIA Formula 2 race winner. Red Bull junior. Once doubted whether he'd ever leave karting — now one step from F1.
Driver No. #6
Series FIA Formula 2 — 2026
Team Campos Racing
Junior Programme Red Bull Junior Team
By the numbers

Career in figures

F3 Wins (Career)
5
Most wins by any driver in FIA Formula 3 history.
2025 F3 Final Standing
P2
Runner-up in the championship; helped Campos win the Teams' title.
2022 Spanish F4
13
Wins in 21 races — outright dominator, champion, rookie season.
First F2 Victory
'26
Melbourne Feature Race — Bulgaria's first F2 race win, ever.
Race Recaps

2026 F2 — Results & Highlights

R01
Melbourne · Albert Park
6–8 March 2026
Feature Win Sprint P17 ▼
P1Feature
P17Sprint
P5Qualifying
25Points
Feature Race — Lap Position
P1 P3 P5 P8 P12 P1
Key Moments
Lap 1 Started P5, stormed through Turn 1 to run P3 on the opening lap
Lap 3 Inherited lead after Dunne and Stenshorne collided at Turn 1 — took P1
Lap 8 Fastest lap of the race — extended lead to 4.2 seconds
Finish 🏁 First F2 win — Bulgaria's first-ever F2 race victory
"I just tried to stay calm on the first lap, pick my moments. Once I was in clean air, the car was perfect." — Nikola Tsolov
R02
Miami · Miami International Autodrome
1–3 May 2026
Sprint Win Feature DNS ▼
DNSFeature
P1Sprint
P10Qualifying
10Points
35Total Pts
Sprint Race — Lap Position
P1 P3 P5 P8 P12 P1
Key Moments
Sprint Started P1 (sprint pole, reverse grid), took lead early and controlled the race
Final lap Van Hoepen overtook at T11 — Tsolov hit back with DRS on the straight
Finish 🏆 Sprint Win — F2's first ever winner in Miami
Feature DNS — Tagged out at the start by Inthraphuvasak before race began (10s penalty to Inthraphuvasak)
"It was intense but funny at the same time. I lost the lead, got it back — that's racing." — Nikola Tsolov
The Story

Sofia to the front row

"It seemed impossible in the beginning, coming from Bulgaria and being limited financially. But when you believe in something, nothing can stop you."
— Nikola Tsolov

Born in Sofia on 21 December 2006, Nikola Tsolov is the most successful single-seater driver Bulgaria has ever produced — and at nineteen, he is only just getting started.

His karting years were defined by tight budgets and uncertain futures. A breakthrough came when Fernando Alonso's FA Racing brought him into their karting setup; in 2021, the two-time world champion invited the teenage Tsolov to drive alongside him at the Dubai 24 Hours, where their crew finished third.

In 2022, he leapt into Spanish Formula 4 with Campos Racing and didn't just win the title — he obliterated it, taking thirteen victories from twenty-one races. Three F3 seasons followed, the last of which (2025, back with Campos) saw him become the most-capped race winner in FIA Formula 3 history.

Initially an Alpine Academy member, Tsolov made the switch to the Red Bull Junior Team in November 2024. The following summer he drove the Red Bull RB7 at a Sofia show run — a moment he says he'll "remember forever." A late-season F2 promotion at Lusail and Yas Marina yielded his first F2 podium. The seat with Campos was made permanent for 2026.

And then, in March 2026, came Melbourne — and a piece of Bulgarian sporting history.

Career Path

From karts to the grid

2019
Karting · Champion
WSK Open Cup — 60 Mini
Wins his first international karting title at age 12.
2021
Karting · P3
Dubai 24h Endurance with Fernando Alonso
Hand-picked by Alonso to share a kart with him, Pedro de la Rosa, and Ángel Burgueño. They finish on the podium.
2022
F4 · Champion
Spanish F4 — Campos Racing
13 wins from 21 races. Title secured three races before the season's end. Joins the Alpine Affiliate Programme in March of the same year.
2023
F3 · Rookie
FIA Formula 3 — ART Grand Prix
Debut F3 season. Two points finishes at Spa and Monza; finishes 22nd in the standings while building experience.
2024
F3 · 1st Bulgarian Winner
FIA Formula 3 — ART Grand Prix
Wins the Monaco Sprint Race — the first Bulgarian to win in F3. Adds further wins at Spielberg and the Hungary Feature Race.
2025
F3 · Runner-Up
FIA Formula 3 — Campos Racing
Joins the Red Bull Junior Team. Wins in Bahrain and from pole in Monaco. Becomes the all-time F3 wins record holder (5). Finishes second in the championship behind Rafael Câmara. Drafted to F2 for the final two rounds — first F2 podium at Yas Marina.
2026
F2 · Race Winner
FIA Formula 2 — Campos Racing · #6
Wins the Melbourne Feature Race — Bulgaria's first ever F2 victory. Leads the championship out of round one. The dream of F1 has never been closer.
2026 Calendar

Season Map

Win
Podium
Points
DNF / DNS
Upcoming
Season Tracker

2026 F2

Live this weekend
Round 03 · Montréal · 22–24 May 2026
Next round CA Montréal · R03
--Days
:
--Hrs
:
--Min
:
--Sec
Until lights out
Feature Race
R03 Session Schedule · Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montréal
TZ
🇨🇦 Montréal (ET)
🇺🇸 New York (ET)
🇺🇸 Los Angeles (PT)
🇧🇷 São Paulo (BRT)
🇬🇧 London (BST/GMT)
🇧🇬 Sofia (EEST/EET)
🇫🇷 Paris (CEST/CET)
🇦🇪 Dubai (GST)
🇯🇵 Tokyo (JST)
🇦🇺 Sydney (AEST)
Rnd
Race
Sprint / Feature
Date
Win Podium Points No race / DNS
Follow live on X /3
Drivers' Championship

2026 Standings

After Round 02 · Miami
Pos Driver Wins Pts Gap
01 BGNikola TsolovCampos Racing 2 35 —
02 BRRafael CâmaraInvicta Racing 0 34 −1
03 ITGabriele MinìMP Motorsport 1 34 −1
04 NLLaurens van HoepenTrident 0 26 −9
05 JPRitomo MiyataHitech 0 22 −13
06 SEDino BeganovicDAMS Lucas Oil 0 21 −14
07 MXNoel LeónCampos Racing 0 20 −15
08 PYJoshua DürksenInvicta Racing 1 16 −19
09 THTasanapol InthraphuvasakulART Grand Prix 0 13 −22
10 DEOliver GoetheMP Motorsport 0 12 −23
Top 10 shown · Full standings at fiaformula2.com Updated after R02 Miami · R03 Montréal next
Points Battle

Championship Race

Data Model

Season Projection

Projected over 14 rounds · based on current average

Fan Poll

Have your say

Where will Nikola finish the 2026 F2 Championship?
🏆
F2 Champion
0%
🥈
Runner-up · P2
0%
🥉
Third · P3
0%
📈
Top 5
0%
"
It would be a dream for both me and the country to be the first Bulgarian driver in F1 — this is my goal and I'm only getting closer every day.
— Nikola Tsolov · Torqued Magazine, April 2026
Off the track

Beyond the visor

01

Idol: Senna

Tsolov's racing hero is Ayrton Senna — the icon's blend of fearlessness and feel sets the bar he chases every weekend.

02

Modern Inspiration

Cites Max Verstappen for the way he reads and adapts to a race in real time. Same junior team, similar instincts.

03

Mentored by Alonso

Spent two formative years in Fernando Alonso's FA Racing karting team — and shared a kart with him at Dubai 24h in 2021.

04

Sofia Show Run

In June 2025, drove the Red Bull RB7 through the streets of Sofia. He calls it a moment he'll "remember forever."

05

The Bulgarian Lion

His nickname in Bulgarian media — a nod to the lion on Bulgaria's coat of arms and his fearless, attacking driving style.

06

Off-Duty

Away from racing, you'll find him with friends, playing racket sports, or — surprisingly for an F2 driver — board games.

Design

Helmet & Livery

Campos Racing #6 F2 car livery
2026 Season
Campos #6
Dallara F2 2024
Blue · White · Gold
Campos Racing
Nikola Tsolov racing helmet design
2026 Design
The Lion
White · Green · Red
Bulgarian tricolour
Red Bull Junior
Video

Race highlights

Bulgaria's first F2 victory — Melbourne 2026
Feature Race · R01 Melbourne Bulgaria's first F2 victory 8 March 2026 · Albert Park
Tsolov drives the RB7 through Sofia 2025
Show Run · Sofia 2025 Tsolov drives the RB7 through Sofia First Bulgarian driver in a Red Bull show run
F2 Sprint Race Highlights Miami 2026 — Tsolov wins
Sprint Race · R02 Miami Sprint Race highlights — pole to flag 2 May 2026 · Miami International Autodrome
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