Tsolov named reserve driver for Red Bull and Racing Bulls in 2027

Red Bull has confirmed that Nikola Tsolov will serve as reserve driver for both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls during the 2027 Formula 1 season. The 19-year-old Bulgarian joined the Red Bull Junior Team in 2025 and finished runner-up in the 2025 FIA Formula 3 Championship.

In Formula 2 he is second in the Drivers' Championship with two rounds remaining in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. He has six wins in his first full season and became the first driver in the category's history to win three consecutive races.

The appointment includes a development programme combining simulator work with Free Practice sessions, Testing of Previous Cars, selected test sessions and tyre testing. Team Principal Laurent Mekies said the team was impressed by Tsolov's maturity and willingness to keep learning, adding that the focus in 2027 will be on preparing him to race in Formula 1.