Nikola Tsolov replaces Liam Lawson at Racing Bulls for Mexico FP1
The Bulgarian junior driver will take Lawson's VCARB 03 in first practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Nikola Tsolov will make his first official Formula 1 session appearance for Racing Bulls at the Mexico City Grand Prix, taking over Liam Lawson's car for FP1. The move follows an Imola test in August and comes as the team's 2027 line-up remains unconfirmed.
Key takeaways
- Nikola Tsolov will drive Liam Lawson's VCARB 03 in FP1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
- Tsolov previously tested for Racing Bulls at Imola in August.
- Alan Permane called the FP1 run an important step in Tsolov's development within the Red Bull Junior Programme.
- Other rookie drivers also scheduled for FP1 in Mexico include Fred Vesti, Leonardo Fornaroli and Freddie Slater.
Nikola Tsolov will make his first official Formula 1 session appearance for Racing Bulls at the Mexico City Grand Prix, taking over Liam Lawson's VCARB 03 for first practice at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
RacingNews365 reported that the session marks the Bulgarian's maiden appearance in an official F1 session. Racer reported that Lawson will miss FP1 while the team has yet to confirm its 2027 driver line-up.
Lawson is currently in his second full season in Formula 1, having made substitute appearances in 2023 before stepping into a full-time race seat in late 2024. The New Zealander has impressed in scoring points in all but five races so far this season.
Both he and rookie teammate Arvid Lindblad are yet to have their futures confirmed.
Tsolov joined the Red Bull Junior Programme in 2025 after winning the Spanish F4 Championship in 2022 and finishing runner-up in FIA Formula 3 this year.
He currently competes for Campos Racing in Formula 2, where he sits second in the standings, seven points behind leader Rafael Câmara with two rounds remaining.
His campaign has included six wins, among them victories in Melbourne and Miami and a sweep of both races at Silverstone.
Tsolov arrives in Mexico on the back of a maiden Formula 1 test with the team at Imola in August, where he covered 690 kilometres across 143 laps in the 2025-specification VCARB 02, powered by the Honda RBPTH003 engine, as part of a Testing of Previous Cars programme.
Under the 2026 sporting regulations, every competitor must field an eligible rookie, defined as a driver with no more than two Grand Prix starts, in at least two free practice sessions per car across the season, amounting to four mandatory rookie outings per team.
Sunday's running in Mexico goes some way to fulfilling that requirement for Racing Bulls.
Tsolov joins a busy FP1 session with rookie drivers in Mexico, with Fred Vesti (Mercedes), Leonardo Fornaroli (McLaren), Gabriele Mini (Alpine), Ryo Hirakawa (Haas), Freddie Slater (Audi), Luke Browning (Williams), Jak Crawford (Aston Martin) and Colton Herta (Cadillac) all also appearing.
Quotes and team perspective
A big thank you to VCARB for giving me this opportunity in Mexico,” Tsolov said. “Following my test with the team at Imola in August, I’m excited to take this next step, build on that experience and learn more about the car and the current regulations.
” Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane said: “Running Nikola in FP1 is an important step in his development within the Red Bull Junior Programme.
It reflects our commitment to nurturing emerging talent and giving our junior drivers valuable track time and the support they need to learn and develop.
” Permane said the FP1 outing is the natural progression for Tsolov after he completed solid mileage in the 2025 car in the summer.
2027 driver line-up and what happens next
Should there be a change at Racing Bulls, Tsolov is seen as the clear option to step up next year, with the Bulgarian fighting for the Formula 2 championship in his rookie season.
Racing Bulls has not confirmed its 2027 driver line-up, and both Lawson and rookie teammate Arvid Lindblad remain without confirmed futures. The Mexico City Grand Prix weekend continues with further practice, qualifying and the race after the FP1 session.
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