Nikola Tsolov has announced himself as one to watch next season, securing his maiden podium on just his third start in Formula 2.
The Bulgarian teenager made the step up to F2, following his successful Formula 3 season, where he finished runner-up.
Showing his pace straightaway, Tsolov managed to secure a top-three finish, setting him up for a positive campaign next year.
Tsolov, who replaced Pepe Marti at Campos Racing, discussed his feelings on the milestone.
“Yeah, it feels good to be honest,” Tsolov told media, including Motorsport Week.
“I was expecting to be on the podium in Qatar as well on the Sprint but it’s finally good to have it here.”
He admitted the race wasn’t easy, particularly as the front two pulled away. However, holding steady in third was enough to seal the result.
“I managed to keep a good enough pace to stay in third. And yeah, I’m happy to just get over it, the podium goal and now focus on the rest.”
Despite joining the grid late, Tsolov immediately proved competitive. He showed speed in Qatar, qualifying well and scoring seventh in the sprint race. Though he confessed, expectations were even higher.
“I thought I was well prepared and I had a lot of confidence in myself,” he explained.
“I wasn’t fully satisfied even with seventh in Qatar.”
Tsolov emphasised that despite the initial disappointment, he is proud of his efforts with such little testing time.
“But then, looking back after the weekend, I thought, well, these guys have done 12 rounds, and they know the car very well,” Tsolov explained
“I just stepped in first time on Soft tyres as well and that seventh.
“Obviously, I don’t think overall I have the pace as much as they do so far, but I think it’s been a really positive start, looking at past results from other people who have done the last two rounds.”
Tsolov remains focused on 2026
Tsolov’s focus is already on next year, for his first full season in the competition. While this podium is an early achievement, he has seen it as a foundation to build from rather than an early destination.
“In the end, my goal is next year,” he said, reflecting on his progress so far.
His target for 2026 is clear: consistent results at the front of the field. With Campos showing pace throughout the season, the 19-year-old believes there is untapped potential in both the team and himself.
“I think there is definitely stuff to work on, on both departments,” Tsolov admitted.
“To be able to fight constantly in the top three for every quali like Fornaroli did this year. This is going to be our goal, but yeah, there’s still a bit of stuff to improve.”
Tsolov has already identified an area that the team need to work on. Emphasising that the Abu Dhabi podium didn’t come without its unique challenges. The Red Bull-backed junior revealed that in the later phases of the race, he struggled to match the pace of the front-runners.
“Obviously, in the beginning of the race, I thought I was going to push but still got dropped,” Tsolov said.
“So there is something to find.”
History made for Bulgaria
Tsolov’s podium in Abu Dhabi was not only a milestone for himself, rather one for his entire home country. Nikola Tsolov’s maiden podium marked a first Formula 2 podium for Bulgaria as well. The young driver emphasised the growing sense of pride he feels when representing his nation.
Additionally, Tsolov discussed the growing amounts of support he has received throughout his entire Feeders’ series career. Stating that it feels like the entire nation is cheering him on to do his best, and hopefully break into Formula 1.
“It’s like in F3, I feel the support a lot now,” Tsolov mentioned
“And yeah, whole Bulgaria is looking at me. So I’m glad to do that podium already before starting next year and just, you know, get it out of the way and know I can do it.
But yeah, I can feel all the positive energy from Bulgaria, which helps a lot.”
A major reason behind Tsolov’s form in the series thus far remains his composed approach to the series. Despite partaking in the final two rounds of 2025, the Bulgarian has clarified his intentions for stepping into F2 earlier than expected.
“Holiday and a hobby for me,” he joked.
“I think it was a learning process, and it still is.
My goal was definitely just to finish every lap in every session which I’ve been doing so far and that was pretty much it. I’m happy I’ve done everything so far.”
He stated that the Abu Dhabi Sprint Race will be crucial information to come next season, where he hopes to be fighting for the title.
“I think today’s knowledge will definitely help me understand the tyres better. I don’t really know the track, so that was my goal, and it helps a lot for next year, I believe.”
Tsolov continues Campos partnership in F2
A major advantage for Nikola Tsolov is that he will continue his journey with Campos Racing. From joining them last season in F3, to starting his F2 career with them, the teen has a stronge relationship with Campos.
Whilst he will change engineers, Tsolov has created a calm and familiar environment with Campos Racing. Thus, making the transition smoother and allowing for a strong 2026 season.
“For me I still had to adapt although it’s the same team,” he explained.
“I changed engineer mechanics and pretty much everything.
It feels like a whole new journey but I already knew them from before and for me the atmosphere is really good. I’ve always said it’s like a family to me.”
Tsolov also benefitted from working alongside Formula 1 bound Arvid Lindblad. The data sharing, debriefs, and intra-team push have accelerated his learning curve.
“I definitely think doing these last two rounds helps me a lot to learn from Arvid himself,” he said.
“He’s pushing me a lot to do well and extract the best from myself.”
The pair won’t share a garage next year, leaving Tsolov grateful for the short period of overlap.
“I’ll miss sharing the team and the grid with him next year,” Tsolov reminisced.
“But yeah, I’m happy to do these last two rounds with him.”
READ MORE – F1-bound Arvid Lindblad takes F2 Sprint victory in Abu Dhabi
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