Nikola Tsolov
Background
Nikola Tsolov (full name Nikola Dimitrov Tsolov), born 21 December 2006 in Sofia, is a Bulgarian racing driver in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Campos Racing and a member of the Red Bull Junior Team. He is the first Bulgarian to win in both FIA Formula 3 and FIA Formula 2, and holds the all-time record for F3 race wins.
He grew up in Sofia in a country with almost no open-wheel racing history, which meant leaving for Italy as a child to find real karting competition. He was picked up by FA Racing, Fernando Alonso's karting team, and that relationship shaped his career. In 2021 Alonso selected the 14-year-old to share a kart with him, Pedro de la Rosa and Ángel Burgueño at the Dubai 24 Hours, where they finished on the podium.
Junior career
2022 — Spanish F4 with Campos
His single-seater debut set the tone. Tsolov won the Spanish F4 Championship with Campos Racing at the first attempt, taking thirteen wins from twenty-one races and sealing the title with three races to spare. The same year he joined the Alpine affiliate programme, his first manufacturer backing.
2023–2025 — three seasons in FIA Formula 3
Fast-tracked into F3 with ART Grand Prix in 2023, he had a tough first year and finished 22nd, scoring his first points late on at Spa and Monza. The second season, still with ART, brought three wins and a step up in pace. In 2025 he reunited with Campos and mounted a full title challenge, finishing runner-up to Rafael Câmara — the rivalry that has carried into F2 — while collecting the all-time F3 wins record and helping Campos take the teams' championship.
Late 2025 — Red Bull and an early F2 debut
Tsolov left the Alpine academy and signed for the Red Bull Junior Team, then drove a Red Bull show car through the streets of Sofia, the first Bulgarian to drive a Formula 1 car in his own capital. Campos promoted him to F2 for the final two rounds of 2025, where he qualified seventh on debut at Lusail and scored a maiden F2 podium in the Yas Marina sprint. His full-time seat for 2026 was confirmed before the season ended.
Career record
| Year | Series | Team | Position | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Spanish F4 | Campos Racing | Champion | 13 |
| 2023 | FIA Formula 3 | ART Grand Prix | P22 | 0 |
| 2024 | FIA Formula 3 | ART Grand Prix | P11 | 3 |
| 2025 | FIA Formula 3 | Campos Racing | P2 | 2 |
| 2025 | FIA Formula 2 | Campos Racing | — | 0 |
| 2026 | FIA Formula 2 | Campos Racing | Leading* | 6* |
Honours & records
- All-time FIA Formula 3 wins record (5 wins)
- First Bulgarian to win an FIA Formula 2 race — Melbourne, 2026
- First Bulgarian to win in FIA Formula 3
- 2022 Spanish F4 champion — 13 wins in a single season
- 2025 FIA Formula 3 runner-up
- Red Bull Junior Team member
Common questions
Who is Nikola Tsolov?
A Bulgarian racing driver in FIA Formula 2 with Campos Racing, and a Red Bull Junior. He holds the all-time F3 wins record and is the first Bulgarian to win in both F3 and F2.
What team does he drive for?
Campos Racing, in the number 6 car. He has also raced for Campos in Spanish F4 and FIA Formula 3.
Could he reach Formula 1?
He is in the Red Bull Junior Team, which puts him in contention for a future Racing Bulls seat. He would be the first Bulgarian driver in Formula 1 history.
Full Nikola Tsolov coverage
Live standings, race-by-race analysis and news, in English and Bulgarian.