The Formula 1 race weekend at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez will mark a historic milestone for Nikola Tsolov, as he has been confirmed to take over the VCARB 03 car usually driven by Liam Lawson for the first free practice session. This appearance represents the Bulgarian driver's maiden outing in an official Grand Prix session, serving as a significant leap forward within the Red Bull Junior Programme.
The talented youngster joined the development scheme in 2025 following an impressive run, which included winning the Spanish F4 Championship in 2022 and finishing as the runner-up in FIA Formula 3 this season. His arrival in Mexico follows thorough preparations, including his first official Formula 1 test with the team at Imola in August aboard the 2025-specification VCARB 02 powered by the Honda RBPTH003 power unit.
During that previous test at Imola, he successfully covered 690 kilometers across 143 laps as part of the Testing of Previous Cars programme. Alongside his Formula 1 duties, he currently competes for Campos Racing in Formula 2, sitting second in the standings just seven points behind leader Rafael Camara with only two rounds remaining in the championship.
Expressing his gratitude for the opportunity, the young charger stated, A big thank you to VCARB for giving me this opportunity in Mexico. 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.
Under the sporting regulations, every competitor is required to field an eligible rookie—defined as a driver with no more than two Grand Prix starts—in at least two free practice sessions per car throughout the season. This amounts to four mandatory rookie outings per team, and Sunday's running in Mexico helps fulfill that specific requirement for Racing Bulls.
Meanwhile, team principal Alan Permane emphasized that this decision aligns perfectly with their long-term talent cultivation goals. Running Nikola in FP1 is an important step in his development within the Red Bull Junior Programme. It reflects our commitment to nurturing emerging talent and giving our junior drivers valuable track time and the support they need to learn and develop, he concluded.
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