Tsolov Lands Red Bull Reserve Role After Missing Out on Racing Bulls Seat

Nikola Tsolov has been confirmed as Red Bull's reserve driver for 2027, covering both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls, after the Milton Keynes squad opted to retain Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad in its race line-up. The 19-year-old Bulgarian will combine simulator duties with free practice outings, Pirelli tyre testing and runs in older machinery under the Testing of Previous Cars programme.

Why it matters:

Red Bull has effectively told Tsolov he is next in line. With both seats locked for next season, the reserve role is his only route onto the grid — and the team is now building a bespoke twelve-month curriculum around him rather than farming him out to another series.

The details:

• Tsolov drove the Racing Bulls car in FP1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix this month, his first official F1 session.
• He sits second in the F2 standings with two rounds remaining in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, having taken six wins — four in feature races, two in sprints.
• A run of three consecutive victories made him the first driver in the championship's history to achieve the feat.
• He joined the Red Bull junior programme in 2025, the same year he finished runner-up in Formula 3.
• "We have enormous belief in Nikola's potential and see him as a driver with a very exciting future in F1," said team principal Laurent Mekies. "Our focus in 2027 will be on giving him the experience, tools and support he needs to be ready to race in F1 next."

Between the lines:

The announcement leaves Yuki Tsunoda's position unresolved, with no word yet on his role beyond 2026. Tsolov's dual-team brief — a structure Red Bull has leaned on before — suggests he is being groomed for whichever operation has an opening first.

What's next:

Tsolov insists his immediate priority is the F2 title fight, which he enters as the closest challenger to the points leader. How he handles that pressure, and how quickly he adapts in FP1 and TPC running, will decide whether the 2027 promise becomes a 2028 race seat.