Ahead of the F3 round at the 2025 Hungarian GP, Campos Racing’s Nikola Tsolov finds himself battling not only for championship points but also against the elements. With changing weather conditions and shortened races affecting recent results, the Bulgarian driver is hoping for a clean, straightforward round in Hungary – both to rebuild momentum and to head into the break on a positive note.
A confident push before the break
When it comes to success, Nikola Tsolov is uncompromising; he is focused on scoring well every round. With the summer break fast approaching, the Red Bull junior driver was especially eager to make the most of the Hungarian round of the FIA Formula 3 Championship.
“Yeah, for me it’s, you know, every weekend’s the same important. So you need to get a good result every weekend. But I think for me, it’s a track I feel confident around.
“So hopefully that pays a gain during the weekend. And then, yeah, obviously you want to head into the summer break with a good mentality and, you know, have a nice holiday. So if you have a good result, it will be definitely a better holiday, let’s say.”
Hoping for clearer skies after chaotic rounds
Tsolov arrives in Budapest after back-to-back rain-affected weekends – including a prematurely stopped feature race in Spa. The unpredictable weather has been a constant challenge, often disrupting race strategy and driver rhythm. It’s no surprise he’s hoping for a clearer forecast in Hungary.
“Yeah, obviously, it’s a bit annoying. The rain has played a big part on the last couple of rounds with the results, depending on the tyre compound you’re using. So obviously, I’m not too looking forward to some huge rain or something like that.
“But to be honest, whatever happens, happens, and I’m ready to race and everything. So I’ll take it day by day. And then if I wake up Sunday morning with rain, I’ll race in the rain.
“So yeah, let’s see what happens. It’s going to be exciting.”
Blocking out the noise
Currently, a gap of 28 points separates Tsolov in second from Câmara, the current leader in the Formula 3 title fight. Though the pressure is mounting, Tsolov is not obsessed with the standings. Instead, he’s focused on returning to the strong form he showed early in the season, particularly in qualifying.
“Yeah, that’s an interesting stat. I haven’t really noticed that much, but for me, I need to work on myself only. I really don’t look at Rafa[el Câmara] and I just look at myself, what I can do and how I can keep my qualifying form good as it was in the middle of the season.
“Obviously, you need a lot of luck that’s involved. Clearly, in the past few rounds, I haven’t been having it, but it’s just part of the game and, you know, tough moments, they make me stronger. So for me, I would just, again, try to do the best quality possible, see what happens on Sunday again with rain.
“Seems like it’s following us a lot this year. And then, you know, where he ends up, there’s nothing I can control. So we’ll see after Monza how it ends up.
“Hopefully, I’m on the lucky side this part of the season.”
Back on familiar ground
Comfortable at the Hungaroring, Tsolov is confident in both his pace and his ability to keep things clean – something crucial on a circuit known for punishing even small mistakes.
“Yeah, for me, it shouldn’t really be an issue this weekend. I mean, if you run off track, you’re probably in the grass or in the wall. So hopefully, we won’t see much of that.
“Clearly, there was red flags last year in the last set. I was lucky to have crossed the line before the red flag appeared. So yeah, it was a good weekend for me here last year.
“I didn’t struggle with track limits or anything like that. It’s a track that suits me. So just looking forward to a clean race and see what happens.”
With Budapest offering familiar ground and – hopefully – clearer skies, Tsolov is looking to turn the page on a turbulent run of weather-affected races. Focused on his own performance and determined not to be distracted by championship math, the Bulgarian remains resolute. Whether it’s a clean dry weekend or another dance with rain, he’s ready. And if the Hungaroring delivers the result he’s aiming for, it might just make that summer holiday a little sweeter.
