Campos Racing’s Nikola Tsolov continues to lead the way in the Drivers’ Standings but isn’t getting comfortable after a 2026 F2 Miami GP weekend marked by contrasting fortunes. The weekend got off to a difficult start after a technical issue forced him to hop out of his car during the early stages of Free Practice. Despite the setback, Tsolov still managed to qualify P10, securing himself reverse-grid pole for Saturday’s Sprint Race.
The Bulgarian stormed to victory in a thrilling Sprint Race, claiming back-to-back wins and further extending his championship lead. However, his Sunday came to a premature end after being spun around as the pack charged down to Turn 1 at lights out.
Tsolov: Still “happy” to walk away from 2026 F2 Miami GP with points
Reflecting on the weekend, the 19 year-old said: “It feels great to still come away leading the championship after a really difficult weekend.”
“We didn’t get any running in practice, both me and Noel. So not only as drivers we didn’t know the track, but also the team didn’t know how to set up the car for quali.”
“So it was just all a bit of a guess and trying to adapt as quickly as possible. I was really happy to still manage a top 10 result, which I would say saved the weekend.”
Despite getting spun around by Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak on Sunday, Tsolov left the weekend focusing on the positives. And although it was a weekend some could define as disappointing, he remains pleased to still be leading the championship.
“Then in the Sprint Race, I managed to come away with the win, when I think we still didn’t quite optimise the car. and then going into the Feature Race, I was really hoping to score a few more points and to be fair, I was feeling quite confident, knowing we could definitely do a podium.”
“Unfortunately, I got taken out in Turn 1 but it’s racing, so that’s stuff that will always happen. Everyone will have one or two bad weekends, but I’m still happy to come away with 10 points and still leading the championship from what we call a bad one.”
“Never gave up” in the fight for the Sprint win against van Hoepen
2026 marked F2’s first visit to the Miami International Autodrome and, despite the unknowns surrounding a new venue, Saturday’s Sprint Race delivered plenty of action and showcased impressive racecraft—particularly between Tsolov and Trident’s Laurens van Hoepen.
The duo battled fiercely from lights to flag, exchanging positions throughout the race. However, after a hard-fought fight for victory, the Bulgarian ultimately crossed the line to claim his second win of the season.
Looking back on the battle, he described it as one that was highly enjoyable and highlighted the difficult conditions throughout the race. Nonetheless, Tsolov explained that he never gave up, fighting hard to reclaim the lead to ultimately secure the win.
“It was really fun, I knew from the beginning of the race, he was a little bit quicker than me. So it was all about managing the tyre and knowing where I could push and where I could maybe slightly pull away in the DRS zones.”
“Obviously, the race was really hot and overheating was a big factor. So then he managed to make a move and I honestly thought I lost it at that point. But to be fair I never gave up.”
“I was hungry to get that lead back, I did my best and obviously with the race craft in the end, it was always going to be a mystery. But I saw room for the overtake and to take the lead. I took the opportunity and came away with the win.”
“Clarity and confidence” for Tsolov and Campos moving forwards
Despite a tough weekend in Miami, Tsolov heads into the third round of the season still leading the championship by just a single point over Invicta Racing’s Rafael Câmara. While he acknowledged that it is still very early in the season, the Bulgarian noted that staying consistent could help him extend his lead or keep him in contention for the title, even if he isn’t leading the championship later into the season.
“It’s still very early, but Round 2 gave us a bit more of a clarity and confidence heading into the rest of the season. On a bad weekend to come away with the points we have is definitely a surprise.”
“I think that now the most important thing is to keep scoring points and I’m sure we can extend or at least stay in the fight because so early on, even if you’re not leading, it’s not the end of the world.”
Heading to Montreal, another new track on the 2026 F2 calendar, Tsolov emphasised the importance of maximising each round moving forward. As the championship heads into its European leg, he noted that building momentum and rhythm will be key to maintaining his current form.
Tsolov added: “But every round is important, so we will try to make the most out of it. I prepare for every round like it’s the last one. I put in all my heart, all my work and energy into it.”
“Going into the European leg of the season, it’s very important to be in a good position and to carry that rhythm. I believe there are 12 weeks with 9 of them being a race week. So especially throughout that part, it’s very good to catch a rhythm.”
“I know how to do it” — Tsolov on putting together a title-winning campaign
The 19 year-old is no stranger to delivering impressive results across a season, having previously claimed the Spanish F4 title. While the season has started better than he expected, Tsolov remains confident and is pleased with the way he has begun his rookie F2 campaign.
He said: “Obviously being champion is a really tough job for you have to put a lot of things together and obviously you need a lot of luck in some situations.”
“But I’ve been in a title fight last year and I’ve won championships before, so I know how to do it. It’s still a bit early to speak about that right now but it’s the best position to be in, leading it.”
“I wasn’t expecting to be leading because I’ve kind of seen my season as one of progress and improvement throughout, but I still think it’s going to be that way. We’ve just started really strong, which I’m super happy about.”
