Current leader of the Formula 2 championship, Nikola Tsolov will take a new step in his career by taking the wheel of a Racing Bulls during a test organized in Imola at the end of August.
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The Bulgarian will drive the 2025 VCARB02 as part of a TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) program. The session will take place alongside the last day of Racing Bulls promotional filming, scheduled for August 27.
Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad will then share the 2026 VCARB03, with a combined maximum of 200 kilometers, while Tsolov will be able to accumulate more kilometers with last season’s single-seater.
A step towards the Super Licence
The new TPC rules now allow him to drive a car just one season old since it belongs to the previous regulatory generation. Tsolov had already taken the wheel of former Red Bulls during demonstrations, with the RB7 in Sofia in June 2025 and then the RB8 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this summer. However, Imola will be his first real test behind the wheel of an F1 car.
Racing Bulls had been preparing this opportunity for several weeks: “We are currently considering having him do a TPC test because he needs a license to participate in Friday free practice sessions, explained CEO Peter Bayer. He still needs a few more kilometers. And we are planning this for the fall.”
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The Bulgarian does not yet have the Super Licence required to race in Formula 1. He currently has 25 points out of the 40 required, earned thanks to his second place in Formula 3 in 2025. A top 5 finish in the F2 championship would allow him to reach the necessary threshold.
Racing Bulls calms rumors for 2027
His performances have already fueled speculation about a possible Racing Bulls seat in 2027. However, the team assures that no decision has been made yet.
“These are just rumors,” Bayer replied. “He is doing a brilliant job and is a huge talent that we naturally follow. But we have only contested seven races, and Liam and Arvid are also doing an excellent job. So it is not even on the agenda for the moment.”
The Imola test will nevertheless represent a first concrete opportunity for Tsolov to demonstrate his abilities behind the wheel of an F1, as his future for 2027 is starting to attract more and more interest.
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