Tsolov: “Great to finally realise it” after taking first F2 win in Melbourne Feature Race
- Vyas Ponnuri
- 3 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Campos Racing’s Nikola Tsolov has grown a junior racing career from strength to strength. Now, one step away from the ultimate dream, the Bulgarian has put his nation on the top step of a Formula 2 podium and atop the F2 standings after an action-packed Feature Race in Melbourne.
“I didn't have a doubt that this moment would come. It's great to finally realise it and do it only in the first round itself,” a delighted Tsolov expressed, speaking to media after the Feature Race in Melbourne.
Victory in the Melbourne Feature Race brought about the Red Bull junior’s best results down under. Tsolov only scored points once during his three Formula 3 appearances at Albert Park, finishing eighth in the sprint race in 2025.
“It's something I didn't think of, especially historically. I've said before that Australia hasn't been nice to me, let's say, although it's one of my favourite countries, but finally I managed to overcome that jinx,” Tsolov continued.
The Campos man swiftly moved up from fifth on the grid to third, making his way past teammate Noel León and slow-starting pole sitter Dino Beganovic, as he settled behind the two Rodin Motorsport drivers Alex Dunne and Martinius Stenshorne.
Things would change only a couple of laps later, when both Rodin Motorsport teammates came together into Turn 1, with Dunne stranded after spinning on the apex of Turn 2 and Stenshorne in the gravel.
While this promoted Tsolov to the race lead, the Campos racer was glad not to have been drawn into the incident, as he was able to make it through Turns 1 and 2 unaffected.
“After lap 1, being in third, I thought I’d just stay behind and try to see how the race unfolds and what will happen later with the strategy. But then, the two Rodins were very eager to stay in front and stay ahead of each other. So I let them do their thing, which ended up in an incident, which I tried to avoid.
“I was a little worried that they might take me out into Turn 1,” Tsolov mentioned, relieved to have not gotten caught up in the incident. “And then once I got to the lead, that's when I felt confident, and I just managed my own pace,” he concluded.
Despite Van Amersfoort Racing’s Nicolás Varrone taking his mandatory pit stop under the second safety car period on Lap 18 and emerging in the lead, Tsolov was able to get past him, with a stellar dive into Turn 3, moments after the field went back to green flag running.
Tsolov did mention his surprise to see the Argentine ahead, but was relieved to have made light work and regain the race lead. Having rounded Turn 11 behind the safety car, Bernd Maylander waved the field through, after realising he had picked up second-placed Tsolov and not race leader Varrone.
As the Bulgarian mentioned, this mix-up had cost him some time. “I wasn't too worried about the alternative strategy people,” Tsolov mentioned. “In fact, I understood about Varrone just when he was coming out, so I was quite late and was a bit surprised. He was still able to stay in front.”
“I think there was a bit of a misunderstanding with the safety car situation, and that cost us a little bit of time, but ultimately, I managed to get him straight away on the restart, which for me was the most important part, and I think that's what got me in front,” Tsolov said, speaking on the crucial move for the lead.
The move on Varrone opened up a crucial buffer for the Campos man, who opened up a 3.2-second gap as soon as he took over the race lead. While this gap eventually stabilised as second-placed Rafael Câmara closed in, Tsolov had done enough to take the race victory and the championship lead.
While the Red Bull junior mentioned he was looking for a more progressive route to the top, he was just as delighted to take the early lead in the standings. He would look to emulate 2025 champion Leonardo Fornaroli’s season, focusing on being consistent all the way.
“One thing for sure is that I didn't think I would be in the championship lead after the first round. I was more wanting to progress through the year, but it's good to take the lead because now I can just focus on consistent finishes and staying calm in the races. I don't have anyone to catch up to in front of me.
“Obviously, the championship will go up and down; it's very usual, but the more consistent you are, looking at Fornaroli last year, it's the best you're going to do. That would be my target,” Tsolov said, speaking on his goal for the season.
Another major element of any F2 race is being in the right place at the right time, be it staying clear of incidents on track, or avoiding going off the racing line and getting dirt on the tyres. Tsolov had found himself in this position during the sprint race a day prior.
The Bulgarian was stuck in the midfield, losing positions and finding himself amidst several cars during the 23-lap sprint, before being spun around by Hitech’s Colton Herta at Turn 4 and seeing his chances of scoring points vanish late on.
Being on the wrong part of the circuit after attempting an overtake had cost several drivers positions, with Tsolov, Câmara and ART’s Kush Maini among the drivers to slide out of the points after unsuccessful overtake attempts left them further down the order. It’s this factor Tsolov highlighted, speaking of how all the hard work could be undone if he was not careful with his positioning on the track.
“I think being in the right place, right time is what is going to really help you throughout the whole year,” Tsolov mentioned.“A good example was me yesterday (during Saturday’s sprint race), where I really had the pace, and I was trying to get ahead, but always ended up in the wrong place and was just shoved wide, took dirt on my tyres and then dropped back.
“The whole (sprint) race was a mess, where on the other hand today (during the Feature Race), I was always ending up in good situations, good places, positioning my car well, which ultimately put me into first place and then obviously the rest is managing it.
“So I definitely think it's probably the most important part of racecraft, to be in the right place at the right time because you can put a lot less effort and still end up in front and then positioning bad,” Tsolov concluded, speaking on the mixed fortunes across the weekend.
Another major aspect of F2 is being fully aware of what is ahead, and being in the present. Tsolov mentions he had gotten into a flow-like state, and after snapping out and missing an apex, realised it was time to get back into the zone once again. In F2, even one moment can cost a driver his race, hence the onus falls on drivers to nail the perfect drive if they want to take home big points.
“The biggest reset was probably when the two Rodins crashed, because it's a completely different approach when you're leading the race. And then probably after the pit stop, as usual, and the safety car. So for me, my usual thing is just to think that you're in the moment,” Tsolov said, speaking on the mindset of drivers in a chaotic race such as those in Melbourne on Sunday.
“Right now, I don't think really about the future and the past. You know, look around. Think about your next thing to do. So whether it's braking into the next corner, or how you're going to do the restart or whatever that is. That just puts you back in place here right now.”
“Being present is the most important part. I remember I had a little moment during the race where I kind of felt like I was in such a flow in a tunnel, let's say. And once I got back from that, I snapped out and I missed one apex.
“So, I was like, okay, now I need to reset again. So that was one of my moments, but it wasn't anything big. I don't even think I lost time,” Tsolov expressed, speaking on one moment when he experienced a reset and got back into the zone again.
Having finished second in F3 in 2025 and stood on an F2 podium in Abu Dhabi later that year, Tsolov definitely starts 2026 as one of the strongest prospects on the field, alongside fellow F3 graduate Câmara. No Red Bull junior has won an F2 title yet, and Tsolov has a chance to script history, should he hold on to his current championship position until the end of the year.
