Tsolov completes 690km in Racing Bulls – Speculation about a potential Formula 1 promotion for Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov has intensified after the 19-year-old completed an extensive test with Racing Bulls at Imola.
Tsolov drove the team’s 2025 VCARB 02 for a total of 690 kilometres on Wednesday as part of Formula 1’s Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme.
The programme allows teams to run older machinery while remaining within the sport’s strict current-car testing restrictions. It also provides an important opportunity for young drivers to gain meaningful experience behind the wheel of an F1 car.
For Tsolov, the Imola outing represented his first substantial experience of driving a Formula 1 car. His previous F1 running had been limited to demonstration events with Red Bull.
Permane praises Bulgarian’s composure
The test was particularly significant given Tsolov’s position within the Red Bull junior programme. The Bulgarian is currently leading the Formula 2 championship and is openly targeting a future in Formula 1.
Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane was pleased with what he saw from the teenager during his first major F1 outing.
“Today was a very positive step for Nikola (Tsolov),” said Permane in a statement. “He adapted quickly to the car and showed the composure you want to see in a driver stepping into an F1 car for the first time.
“This test is part of the ongoing development plan the team is running for its junior drivers,” Permane added. “It offers them the resources, the mileage, and the environment to develop.
“We have seen time and again what this trajectory can yield, and days like today contribute to how we continue to build on this.”
The feedback represents a significant endorsement for Tsolov as he attempts to establish himself as the next Red Bull junior capable of making the final step into Formula 1.
Tsolov targets Formula 1 debut
Tsolov is pursuing an historic goal of becoming the first Bulgarian driver to compete in Formula 1.
The 19-year-old hopes to make the jump to the premier class as soon as this coming winter, although securing a race seat will be far from straightforward.
Racing Bulls currently has Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad under contract, with both drivers having impressed during the season. That leaves Tsolov needing to make a particularly strong case if he is to force his way into the team’s plans.
His performance at Imola will therefore be an important part of the evaluation process, particularly with the Red Bull programme able to assess him directly in an F1 environment.
Red Bull pathway creates difficult decision
A move to another F1 team could also prove complicated because of Tsolov’s close relationship with Red Bull’s driver development programme.
For now, however, the teenager can focus on his Formula 2 campaign while building valuable F1 experience through opportunities such as the Imola test.
Tsolov himself underlined the significance of finally getting substantial mileage in an F1 car.
“I enjoyed every round,” the Bulgarian said after the test, while describing the experience as a major step in his career.
With 690 kilometres now added to his F1 experience and a championship-leading Formula 2 campaign underway, Tsolov has given Red Bull another reason to monitor his progress closely.
Whether that eventually translates into a Racing Bulls race seat remains uncertain, but his Imola test has strengthened his credentials at a crucial stage of his development.
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The Judge, a nom de plume of an experienced F1 journalist and site founder with long-standing sources across the paddock. With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
