Tsolov named Red Bull reserve driver for 2027 Formula 1 season
NXTbets Pro | Published On: November 12, 2026
Tsolov Reserve Role
Red Bull named Nikola Tsolov as reserve driver for both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls in the 2027 Formula 1 season. The move followed the 19-year-old Bulgarian’s first full Formula 2 campaign. Red Bull said the role would include simulator work, free practice outings, testing of previous cars, selected test sessions and tire testing. The assignment was a next step for a driver who had already made Formula 1 appearances in testing and practice sessions with Racing Bulls. Laurent Mekies said Red Bull was impressed by Tsolov’s progress and would use 2027 to prepare him for a future Formula 1 race seat.
Racing Bulls Lineup
Racing Bulls also confirmed an unchanged driver lineup for 2027, with Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad in the team’s race seats. The team extended Lawson’s Formula 1 contract through the 2027 season, keeping one of its current race drivers in place. Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane said Lawson and Lindblad gave the team the best lineup, pointing to what he described as “a strong mix of experience and ambition.” The unchanged pairing kept Lawson and Lindblad in the race lineup while Tsolov took reserve duties across both parts of the Red Bull Formula 1 operation.
Tsolov Development Path
Tsolov reached the reserve role after his first full Formula 2 season in 2026, where he stood second in the championship with two rounds left and had won six races. He joined the Red Bull Junior Program in 2025 after finishing second in the 2025 FIA Formula 3 Championship. His Formula 1 appearances came in testing and practice with Racing Bulls in 2026. The reserve program would add simulator work, free practice outings, previous-car testing, selected test sessions and tire testing to that experience. Taken together, the program would keep Tsolov involved across those duties as Red Bull prepared him for a future Formula 1 race seat.
