Whereas the motion in 2026 goes on hiatus over the summer season break, discuss subsequent season continues and can solely collect tempo from right here.
One identify that retains cropping up is Nikola Tsolov, the Purple Bull Junior Group driver and present System 2 championship chief.
The Bulgarian has loved arguably his most interesting season in single-seaters to this point. He is taken six race wins together with a sweep of the Silverstone spherical, setting a brand new document for consecutive wins within the championship with three within the course of.
It has put him within the dialog for a name as much as the top of motorsport and a possible seat on the grid for 2027. As rumours proceed to swirl although, he’s taking all of it in his stride.
“Clearly I attempt to distance myself from it, isolate a bit bit,” Tsolov says of the F1 discuss. “The noise can actually get you into bother. However truthfully I have been dealing with it fairly effectively, as a result of it is not one thing I essentially did not count on to occur.
“I did not count on it to be such a giant growth, however it’s what it’s, and I am going to simply maintain doing what I have been doing till now. Clearly the season we’re reaching proper now could be nice and I feel there may be extra to return as effectively, I feel there may be extra we will present.”
Having Purple Bull help
Tsolov has beforehand been a part of one other F1 academy, however a swap to hitch the Purple Bull ranks forward of the 2025 marketing campaign has coincided with a leap in efficiency and consistency.
He fought one other F1-linked driver in Rafael Camara for the F3 title that 12 months, finally falling simply brief but demonstrating spectacular pace nonetheless.
However it’s with Purple Bull’s steering that Tsolov feels he is hit his greatest kind, and he believes their involvement has been basic to the success he is loved in 2026.
“They have such an incredible historical past of bringing younger drivers by these classes. It has been key for me to maneuver to the Purple Bull Junior Group,” he says.
“They’ve been supporting me in each sense, serving to me develop exterior of the observe, on observe, all of the methods you deal with totally different conditions, which has been tremendous necessary.
“I might say you’ll be able to actually see the transition because the starting of final 12 months that I’ve managed to develop much more, so I am actually grateful to be a part of it, actually grateful to them. I feel they’re fairly proud of me as effectively and it is only a good dynamic, so yeah it is going nice. I feel I am in one of the best place in all honesty.”
Campos requires F1 promotion
Nicknamed ‘The Bulgarian Lion’, Tsolov confirmed his tenacity round Silverstone to struggle again and win each the Dash and Characteristic Races in type with Campos Racing, having certified in fifth.
Afterwards, eponymous Group Principal Adrian Campos was steadfast in his evaluation that Tsolov is prepared for F1, and can be absolutely deserving of a seat on the grid subsequent 12 months.
It is one thing Tsolov says means an incredible deal, with Campos enjoying a giant half in his journey up the ranks to this present day, having claimed Spanish F4 glory with the workforce again in 2022.
“It does imply quite a bit. I would not count on him to say that, however we’re a household like I’ve at all times been saying,” Tsolov explains.
“I am grateful to have the ability to work with them as effectively as a result of for me, that is been a giant key in my profession as effectively and as a lot as he says that, I do really feel like they have been making the distinction for me as effectively.
“Not solely by organising the automobile, but additionally creating the best setting contained in the workforce, so I do really feel like that is one thing that is not checked out sufficient.
“There are groups that work very effectively across the automobile, however the setting will not be pretty much as good, so for me placing your driver in the best mindset can result in what we’re reaching this 12 months.”
Expertise past his years
Tsolov joined F3 at simply 16 years previous, making him one of many youngest drivers within the championship’s historical past.
Three years of System 3 earlier than a promotion to F2 means he’s deceptively skilled within the junior classes. Nonetheless simply 19 years previous, Tsolov says he feels individuals nonetheless overestimate his seniority compared to a few of his rivals.
“I’ve at all times felt younger,” he explains. “It is fairly humorous as a result of I am the second youngest within the F2 grid proper now, so clearly what’s so good is I have been in a position to acquire lots of expertise whereas I used to be nonetheless younger, so I am in place.
“I am younger and skilled and doing effectively, so I feel that is a giant key and it will probably assist me progress.
“I feel individuals do not actually realise me or different drivers what the age distinction is, as a result of it is inside two or three years, so clearly all of it appears the identical at this level of our lives, nevertheless it’s good to know that I’ve two extra years till I attain in all probability the typical of the grid.”
Studying from Arvid Lindblad
Tsolov’s F2 call-up got here on the again finish of the 2025 marketing campaign, as he accomplished the ultimate two rounds of the 12 months at Campos alongside Racing Bulls-bound Arvid Lindblad.
It did not take lengthy for him to make an influence both, securing a podium in simply his third race with P3 within the Yas Marina Dash.
The 2 weekends he spent as workforce mate to Lindblad have been pivotal to his quick begin in F2. He says they each labored effectively collectively, and that he was in a position to study quite a bit from a driver already signed to F1 for 2026.
“For positive leaping in subsequent to Arvid for the final two rounds final 12 months was key for me, as a result of he was working very intently with F1 at that time and he was clearly already confirmed by Abu Dhabi.
“He simply had that work ethic of an F1 driver that helped me perceive higher what I would like, what I ought to do and put together myself higher than what I might have if he wasn’t alongside me.
“So for positive I did study from him, and I am fairly grateful that I used to be in a position to drive these two rounds with him.”
F1 on the horizon?
Tsolov stays the driving force to beat in F2, 20 factors clear on the high of the standings and with double the variety of wins of anybody else.
He says his mentality will stay the identical because the noise continues to construct round him, and that finally it should come all the way down to efficiency. After that, it is as much as Purple Bull.
The Bulgarian provides that they proceed to help him, however that nothing concrete has been determined simply but.
“They’re clearly actually proud of me, however there’s nothing that has been talked about, nothing clear,” he explains. “It is simply maintain doing what you are doing, you are doing nice, however there’s not rather more than that to be trustworthy.
“Clearly Purple Bull themselves have ready me for all this, what’s occurring now and due to their assist I can obtain these outcomes as effectively.
“However we’ve not reached the purpose the place there’s something greater than that, we’re simply specializing in F2 proper now.
“It means quite a bit to me, clearly it implies that individuals are appreciating and so they consider in what I do. I consider in myself as effectively and I actually do really feel like this 12 months has been nice and I ought to deserve an opportunity.
“However issues are by no means sure on this sport, so it is all about taking each alternative I get any more and deal with F2, as a result of that is the one factor that may actually assist me progress up the ladder.”
