In the early hours of a rainy Saturday in Mexico City, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez was ready for the first free‑practice session of the Grand Prix, and the roar of the VCARB car signaled a new milestone for Bulgarian driver Nikola Tsolov. According to BTA, Tsolov will be behind the wheel of the team’s Formula 1 machine for a one‑hour session at the beginning of the event, making the Armenian‑born‑in-Sofia driver the first Red Bull Junior Programme member to compete in an official F1 FIA session.
State‑of‑the‑art timing sheets show that Tsolov will start the session at 10:04 a.m., behind the seasoned veteran Liam Lawson. This outing follows a 700‑kilometre test in August at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, which the driver completed in the VCARB car and counted as a successful evaluation for his F1 licence by the FIA.
Development Path: From Junior Championships to F1
Tsolov has climbed the motorsport ladder swiftly, winning the Spanish F4 Championship in 2022 and finishing second in the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2025, when he joined the Red Bull Junior Team. His current season in FIA Formula 2 with Campos Racing places him as a title contender and a likely challenger for the 2026 Drivers’ Championship, according to BTA.
Alan Permane, the VCARB team principal, said that the decision to run Tsolov was driven by the team’s commitment to nurture young talent: "Having already worked with Nikola at Imola, we’re looking forward to seeing him build on that experience in Mexico and to the feedback he can provide to help support our preparations for the weekend," he added in the official announcement.
Tsolov expressed his enthusiasm in a brief statement quoted by BTA: "A big thank you to VCARB for giving me this opportunity in Mexico," he said. "Following my test with the team at Imola in August, I’m excited to take this next step, build on that experience and learn more about the car and the current regulations. I’ll focus on making the most of the session, working closely with the team and providing useful feedback."
The announcement emphasizes that Tsolov’s move is a pivotal step in his progression. The driver’s participation will provide him with valuable track time in a fully operational Formula 1 car, offering insights into tyre strategies, aerodynamic settings, and the high‑precision feedback loops that define the sport at its highest level.
VCARB’s technical staff will monitor Tsolov’s lap times and telemetry, comparing them to the data set gathered by the team’s primary driver. The analysis is expected to feed into the final preparation for the race weekend, as the support staff refine car setups to account for the local track conditions and the prevailing July rain pattern.
The introduction of a junior driver into an official session is not only a personal triumph for Tsolov but also a statement for the Red Bull Junior Programme, which has long sought to fast‑track promising talents into the F1 corridor. The programme's involvement in bookings like this one underscores its continued partnership with a variety of team owners and junior development packages across the championship.
With the season's opening weekend just days away, all eyes will turn to Tsolov’s performance. Should his lap times prove competitive, the driver could strengthen his case for a full‑race seat in the near future, while also solidifying VCARB’s reputation as a launchpad for young careers.
As the practice session progresses, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez will once again heighten its focus, allowing fans of Bulgarian motorsport and F1 enthusiasts alike to witness the early stages of a potential new star on the grid.