Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Racing Bulls have moved to shut down speculation that Formula 2 leader Nikola Tsolov is already on course for a Formula 1 seat, with CEO Peter Bayer saying the Red Bull junior still needs an autumn TPC test just to build the licence eligibility required for Friday practice running.
Bayer dismissed reports linking Tsolov to Liam Lawson’s seat as premature. Speaking to Sky F1, Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer said: “Those are just rumours. We’re currently considering having him do TPC test, because he needs a licence to drive in Friday practice sessions. He’s still lacking a few kilometres. And we’re planning that for the autumn.”
That makes eligibility, not seat availability, the immediate issue for the 19-year-old. Tsolov’s only Formula 1 running so far has been a Sofia demonstration in a Red Bull RB7, and he still lacks the mileage and super licence points needed before he can even be used in an official Friday session.
The speculation has grown because of Tsolov’s form in Formula 2. He is reported to be leading the championship with six victories across seven race weekends, and his Silverstone sweep of the sprint and feature races was described as the first such feat there since Davide Valsecchi in 2012.
Even so, Bayer said a Racing Bulls promotion is “not even on the cards at the moment.” He pointed to the strength of the team’s current line-up, adding that only seven races have been run and that both Lawson and Arvid Lindblad are “doing just as brilliant a job.” Lawson has 39 points to Lindblad’s 20 in the drivers’ standings, and the summaries state he has scored in seven of nine Grands Prix while never once losing to his teammate.
Lawson has also brushed aside the noise around his future. Asked by PlanetF1.com at Silverstone about Tsolov’s possible path to Formula 1, Liam Lawson said: “It’s honestly not even something I’ve really thought about.” He added: “I’ve been here long enough to see how things get stirred up, and it’s not really something I’ve been thinking about.”
For now, Racing Bulls’ position is clear: Tsolov remains a prospect on the radar, but any talk of a 2027 Formula 1 seat is well ahead of where he stands today, with an autumn test needed before the team can even move him toward official F1 session eligibility.