Nikola Tsolov has completed his first F1 test as part of an outing with Racing Bulls at Imola.
The Bulgarian, who is leading the FIA F2 standings, is deemed the next in line for a seat in F1, should Red Bull opt to promote him in the future.
Tsolov, 19, completed 690km at Imola on Thursday in the VCARB 02 machine, used by Yuki Tsunoda, Isack Hadjar, and Liam Lawson in the 2025 F1 season, with the usual regulation requiring cars to be two years or older to qualify for TPC testing waived owing to the change in regulations for this season.
"First TPC day in a Formula 1 car done, and I’m super happy with how it went," said Tsolov.
"I really enjoyed every lap, and it’s difficult to put into words what it means to finally get this opportunity. A massive thank you to VCARB and the Red Bull Junior Team for believing in me and giving me this opportunity.
"It’s something I’ve been working towards my whole life, so to finally experience it is pretty incredible. I still don’t think I’ve fully comprehended what we achieved, but I enjoyed every lap, and hopefully I’ll get the chance to add some more kilometres soon."
Running the rule over the latest young driver, Racing Bulls boss Alan Permane spoke of the composure Tsolov had quickly shown during his outing.
"It was a really positive step for Nikola. He adapted quickly to the car and showed the composure you want to see from a driver taking on an F1 car for the first time.
"The outing is part of the ongoing development plan the team runs for its junior drivers, giving them the tools, the mileage, and the environment to develop.
"We've seen time and again what this pathway can produce, and it’s days like today that are part of how we keep building it."
So far in 2026, Tsolov has won six races in FIA F2, including four feature races. At Silverstone in support of the British Grand Prix, he completed the rare feat of winning both the feature and sprint race, during a run of three successive victories after Austrian feature success.
With five rounds of the season remaining, Tsolov is 20 points clear of Gabriele Mini in the drivers' standings.
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