‘One step away from the dream’ – Tsolov eager to make the most of 2026 F2 opportunity

Nikola Tsolov is trying not to think too far forward in 2026, but knows he is just a step away from the “dream” of Formula 1.

The Campos Racing driver made an exceptional start to the year by winning the Melbourne Feature Race with a dominant performance.

The Bulgarian driver now leads the way in the Drivers’ Standings, but if his words prior to the season are anything to go by, do not expect him to be getting ahead of himself.

“I definitely have goals for this year,” he said. “I mean ultimately in Formula 2 you're just a step away from the dream we're all racing here for.

“So you should have a goal but still it's race by race, round by round, lap by lap. It's how I approach things because thinking too far ahead of yourself can get you in a deep hole.

“I'm not trying to end up there, I just want to reach my personal goals and targets. That is what I'm looking for, I am not particularly looking at the results, I just want to improve and work on myself.”

It was another strong showing from Tsolov in F2, who stepped up with the Spanish team for the final two rounds of the 2025 season, finishing third in the Yas Marina Sprint Race.

Looking back, the 19-year-old believes the whole experience was a positive, and has set him up well for 2026.

“I think it was quite positive for me to do the last two rounds and to learn as much as I could about all the procedures I had to do,” said Tsolov.

READ MORE

• Stepping up to F2 with DAMS in 2026 a ‘no brainer’ says Bilinski
• ‘I’m up for the challenge’ – Varrone on seizing the chance to race in F2 with VAR

“Everything was new to me, the pitstops, and the race starts are completely different, all the tyre compounds are different as well, the tyre size, everything was very different to what I'm used to.

“But I got the chance and I took it and I think I adapted pretty well and obviously it was good to have Arvid alongside me who had done 12 rounds before that.

“So he had a little bit more experience and to learn from him was quite useful for me and I can take some stuff into this year from what he was doing and add a bit of my touch.”

One things Tsolov picked up at the back end of last year is the way to drive the F2 car. After a strong campaign in Formula 3, where he finished second in the Championship, he explained what the difference was between the two cars, and how it teaches drivers to adapt.

“I think you have to adapt a lot,” said Tsolov on stepping up to Formula 2. “In F2 you have to push yourself constantly to be on the limit and then play with it nicely.

“You cannot combine as much as in Formula 3, where it's a brake and turn at the same time and then you really send it into the corners.

“In F2 you have to rotate the car really early on so you can be straight on the exit, so it's a little bit more complex than even what it sounds. But the process of learning how to maximise your driving style for that car is quite interesting.

“So I think as long as you're fast enough too you can kind of be quick in anything. That's a good way to put it.”

What has helped Tsolov’s adaptation is that he is staying with Campos, a team he has a very strong history and relationship with.

As a pair they have had a lot of success, starting in the 2022 Spanish F4 Championship with 13 wins. They joined forces once again last year in F3 and they achieved two more victories and six podiums in total.

While things have changed a little bit internally for Tsolov this year, the foundations are the same.

READ MORE

• ‘You cannot ask for more’ – Campos praises ‘top driver’ Tsolov after victory in Melbourne
• Nikola Tsolov: Melbourne victory ‘my biggest win’

“I think staying with the team is a big thing for me,” he added. “But at the end of the day it's completely a different team. I've changed the engineer, changed all my mechanics so it's still a change from last year.

“But I'm still going to the same workshop, training in the same place so it's kind of like going home again so it's all pretty similar.

“The way of working is the same, so I think that's just one less thing to worry about and to try to adapt to.”