Nikola Tsolov will take part in his second test with a Formula 1 car at the Hungaroring circuit in Hungary. The Bulgarian driver is expected to drive the Racing Bulls VCARB 02 on November 11 and 12 – the car used by the team during the 2025 season.
The information comes from RacingNews365, which cites its sources within the Red Bull camp. So far, Racing Bulls has not published an official announcement about the upcoming tests.
Tsolov is already familiar with the VCARB 02 from his first test with a Formula 1 car. It took place at Imola on August 27, when the Bulgarian completed 143 laps and covered around 702 kilometers. The test was part of the Testing of Previous Cars program, known as TPC.
The upcoming drive at the Hungaroring will give Tsolov more time behind the wheel of the same model and an opportunity to gain additional experience with the setup, tire management and car preparation. The circuit is familiar to the Bulgarian from his participation in Formula 2, but this time he will work with the Racing Bulls team in a different type of test.
On October 30, Tsolov also made his debut in an official session during a Formula 1 race weekend. He replaced Liam Lawson in the first free practice session ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix and finished 12th. The gap to Arvid Lindblad, who was driving the other Racing Bulls car, was just 0.126 seconds. Tsolov completed 29 laps in the current VCARB 03.
His performance further intensified the question of Racing Bulls’ driver lineup for 2027. Lawson, Lindblad and Tsolov are currently being considered for the two seats, while the team has still not officially announced either of its two full-time drivers for next season.
“Nikola is, of course, among our considerations. He is having an incredible season and has everything he needs in his favor. At the same time, I have two fantastic drivers in Liam and Arvid. It is a nice problem to have,” said Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane.Laurent Mekies, who heads the senior Red Bull team, will not make the decision on the Racing Bulls lineup on his own. The final choice is linked to the assessment of the second team’s management and the performances of the three candidates at the end of the season.
For Tsolov, the next challenge will be his second Formula 1 test, followed by the final part of the Formula 2 season. His results at the Hungaroring could add new information to the decision, but by themselves they will not constitute confirmation that the Bulgarian will receive a full-time seat in 2027.