Nikola Tsolov keeps F1 talk at arm’s length as 2027 speculation grows

Tsolov focused despite rising F1 noise

Formula 2’s summer pause has done little to slow the conversation around Nikola Tsolov. The Red Bull Junior Team driver leads the championship and is increasingly being discussed as a potential contender for a Formula 1 seat in 2027.

The Bulgarian is enjoying his strongest single-seater season to date, with six victories already secured. His Silverstone weekend was particularly emphatic: Tsolov swept both the Sprint and Feature Races, producing three consecutive championship wins in the process — a new record.

That momentum has naturally placed him on the F1 radar, but Tsolov insists the speculation will not change his approach. “Obviously I try to distance myself from it, isolate a little bit,” he said. “The noise can really get you into trouble.”

He admitted the attention had become bigger than expected, but said he had handled it well and remained convinced that there was more performance to come.

Red Bull support and Campos stability

Tsolov’s rise has coincided with his move into the Red Bull Junior Team ahead of the 2025 campaign. Having previously been part of another F1 academy, he challenged Rafael Camara for the Formula 3 title that year and ultimately fell short, while still demonstrating strong speed.

Tsolov believes Red Bull’s support has been fundamental to his progress, both on and off the circuit. He highlighted the organisation’s experience in developing young drivers and said its guidance had helped him manage different situations while creating a productive working relationship.

His partnership with Campos Racing has been equally important. After recovering from fifth on the grid to win both Silverstone races, Team Principal Adrian Campos declared that Tsolov was ready for Formula 1. The endorsement carries particular weight for a driver who won Spanish F4 with the team in 2022.

Tsolov described Campos as a family and stressed the importance of the environment around a driver, not just the car’s setup. In his view, the right mindset inside a team has been a major factor in his results this season.

Performance remains the only route

Tsolov is 20 points clear at the top of F2 and has twice as many wins as any other driver. He also credits his late-2025 F2 debut alongside Arvid Lindblad with accelerating his preparation, particularly through Lindblad’s work ethic.

For now, however, Red Bull has made no concrete decision about his future. “We’re just focusing on F2 right now,” Tsolov said.

The F1 speculation may continue to build — as shown by the attention surrounding Tsolov’s first Formula 1 test with Racing Bulls — but his own calculation is straightforward: keep performing, take every opportunity and allow Red Bull to decide what comes next.