The end of October could bring a historic moment for Bulgarian motor sport and Nikola Tsolov's career. According to information from the specialized publication PitLane24, the young driver could make his first appearance in an official Formula 1 racing weekend during the first free practice session for the Mexican Grand Prix on October 30.
Campos' Bulgarian Formula 2 driver already made a serious bid in August at the Imola track, where he drove about 700 kilometers in a Racing Bulls car and won praise from Alan Permain for his calmness and quick adaptation. The test in Italy, however, was conducted with a car from the previous regulatory era, while Friday's session in Mexico would offer a real comparison of his pace with the current cars for 2026.
The possible appearance of Tsolov at the Autodrom Hermanos Rodriguez track would also be of key importance for the driver market. Red Bull management wants to see the Bulgarian behind the wheel of the current car before finalizing its plans for the driver line-up for next season and the future of Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad. Such an approach is not unprecedented in the academy - it was in Mexico that Isaac Hajar recorded his first Friday practice with AlphaTauri in 2023, while still competing in Formula 2.
Tsolov's preparation behind the scenes is already underway intensively at the team's simulator in Milton Keynes. The Bulgarian is expected to be with the team at the track for the race in Austin, where he will observe the engineers' work process in real time, before eventually sitting in the cockpit in Mexico. Although Red Bull has not yet officially announced its plans, the upcoming practice could turn out to be a direct casting for a place on the starting grid.