Bulgarian rising star Nikola Tsolov has been officially appointed as the joint reserve driver for both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls for the 2027 Formula 1 season. The comprehensive development programme is specially designed to ensure the young driver is completely prepared to step up into a full-time F1 race seat when the opportunity arises.
The announcement comes as Tsolov missed out on an immediate 2027 race drive at Racing Bulls following contract extensions for both Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson. However, Red Bull management made it crystal clear that Tsolov remains the top contender next in line for a race seat in the near future.
Tsolov is currently locked in an intense fight for the Formula 2 championship alongside 2027 Haas driver Rafael Camara and Alex Dunne. Having secured six race victories so far, Tsolov enters the final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi with strong momentum, building upon his impressive runner-up finish behind Camara in Formula 3 last season.
For his 2027 reserve duties, Tsolov will undertake an extensive regime combining simulator duties, track time in Free Practice 1 sessions, Testing of Previous Cars (TPC), and dedicated tyre testing sessions. Expressing his excitement, Tsolov emphasized how crucial this preparation phase will be for his career trajectory.
"My ambition is clear: I want to become an F1 driver," Tsolov said. "Having the opportunity to spend next year preparing for that next step is incredibly exciting. I’m confident that with the team’s support and experience, I’ll have the best possible preparation to make sure I’m fully ready to take the next step onto the F1 grid when the time comes."
Tsolov previously turned heads during his FP1 debut at the Mexico City GP, matching up strongly against rookie teammate Lindblad. Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies praised Tsolov's maturity, speed, and continuous growth within the Red Bull driver pipeline.
"Nikola is an exceptionally talented young driver, and we have been hugely impressed by his development and performances over the past few years," Mekies stated. "Our focus in 2027 will be on giving him the experience, tools and support he needs to be ready to race in F1 next."
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