Campos Racing left the 2026 F2 Australian GP at the top of the Teams’ Standings, after an impressive opening weekend from rookie drivers Noel León and Nikola Tsolov.
León achieved a P2 podium in his first-ever F2 Sprint Race, while Nikola Tsolov claimed his maiden F2 victory during Sunday’s eventful Feature Race.
Campos praises Tsolov and León’s performances
Speaking after the F2 Feature Race at the 2026 Australian GP, Team Principal Adrián Campos praised Tsolov for delivering a performance worthy of a “top driver”. The Bulgarian started the Feature Race in P5 but quickly moved into the lead on Lap 3. From there, he managed two Safety Car restarts while keeping rival Rafael Câmara behind to secure his first F2 win.
“Yes, it has been very, very, very good. Yesterday there were signs, and today it’s very nice to win with Nikola. It’s a redemption from yesterday, because it was not his day yesterday, but today he nailed it,” Campos said, referencing Tsolov’s P17 finish in the Sprint Race.
“So there is nothing we could say about him. Today he drove like a top driver, you cannot ask for more from him.”
Campos also reflected on León’s weekend. Although the Mexican finished the Feature Race in P15, the team boss highlighted the promise he showed with his Sprint Race podium on Saturday.
“Noel, today, had a bad start. He was in the middle of the mess in the first lap, and that compromised the whole race,” he began. “But still, we look back at the race that he did yesterday, and this means that he still has a lot of potential to show, and I am sure that it’s not going to be the last podium.”
He added, “I’m sure that he’s going to be very strong this season. So hopefully, at the end of the year, with both drivers, we should be up in the standings. Let’s see if we can finally fight for the title. We will do our best.”
Albert Park success continues
Albert Park Circuit has always been special for Campos Racing. The team previously secured a dominant Feature Race victory there in 2024 with Isack Hadjar, and Tsolov’s win in 2026 continues that trend following the cancellation of the 2025 F2 Melbourne Feature Race.
Campos Racing also enjoyed success in Formula 3 during the same weekend, with Ugo Ugochukwu claiming victory in the Feature Race.
“To be honest, we have been here very few times, so we are not experts. But I guess the team did a good job. They did all the simulations and all the test items for this race and for the upcoming races.”
“So I have to congratulate every team member, because at the moment, we can see that we have been competitive since the beginning, and we need to keep working hard to stay like this.”
Rookies shine at 2026 F2 Australian GP
Campos’ 2026 F2 driver line-up is particularly notable as it marks the first time the team has fielded two rookies in F2. With nine rookies competing in the championship this season, the Feature Race podium in Melbourne also included first-year drivers Rafael Câmara and Laurens van Hoepen alongside Tsolov.
Campos acknowledged the strength of this new generation of drivers.
“Yes, it’s true, it was an all-rookie podium. That shows the level that we had last year in F3. They were very, very strong. It’s a very strong generation that’s coming.
“That’s what we saw today and probably will see the rest of the year. A lot of rookies will be winning races, and thankfully two of them are with us.”
