Odds For Nikola Tsolov To Get Into F1: The Next In-line At Red Bull
Posted: August 4, 2026
Updated: August 4, 2026
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Tsolov could replace Lawson
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How to bet on both F1 and F2 online?
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Odds for Nikola Tsolov to get into F1
The odds for Nikola Tsolov to get into F1 keep shortening with every race weekend. The Bulgarian teenager leads Formula 2 in his rookie year, and Red Bull has noticed. Here is why bookmakers, fans, and team bosses all point in the same direction.
Few junior drivers forced their way into Formula 1 talk this quickly. Yet the odds for Nikola Tsolov to get into F1 have become a genuine talking point in paddocks and sportsbooks alike. The 19-year-old from Sofia has torn through Formula 2 this season.
Meanwhile, Racing Bulls has openly named him as the next candidate for a seat. Because contracts expire and rookies impress, the 2027 grid remains wide open. Therefore, this piece walks through his season, the Red Bull situation, and his Alonso connection. It ends with a look at where punters can follow the junior series. Register at any of the online sportsbook sites in Bulgaria to wager!
The Promising Rookie: Odds For Nikola Tsolov To Get Into F1
Bookmakers rarely price teenagers into Formula 1 markets. However, Tsolov earned that attention early. Thus, his name was mentioned by the bookies when Team Cadillac joined F1. Naturally, oddsmakers scrambled to list every plausible candidate. His name landed on those lists almost immediately, which said plenty about his reputation. A brand-new team needs a marketable face, and a young champion fits that mold perfectly. His junior record explains the hype. He won the Spanish F4 title in 2022 with a round to spare, and he did it as a rookie.
That campaign brought a record thirteen victories, with the title sealed three races early. Afterward, he jumped straight into FIA Formula 3 with ART Grand Prix. The first year proved rough, since he was the youngest driver on that grid. Nevertheless, he learned fast. Nicknamed “the Bulgarian Lion,” he eventually broke the record for most wins in FIA Formula 3, taking five, and finished runner-up to Rafael Camara in 2025. Register at Planbet Sportsbook to find the best online odds on F1 and F2 both!
Six Victories Out Of Nine Races
The odds for Nikola Tsolov to get into F1 are increasing. According to M4 Sport, this season he was phenomenal in performance. In Melbourne, he recovered from a difficult Saturday and claimed Bulgaria’s first-ever F2 race victory. Imagine opening your rookie campaign with national history. He then converted a reverse-grid pole into a Sprint win in Miami, despite technical problems in practice.
The streak kept rolling from there. Monte Carlo brought another Feature Race triumph for the Campos driver. Then came the stretch that changed everything. At the Red Bull Ring, he lost the lead to Alexander Dunne after the pit phase, retook it, and won by over three seconds. A week later, Silverstone delivered a perfect weekend. He followed a Sprint victory with a dominant Feature win, his sixth of the season, and moved into the championship lead. Moreover, he became the first driver to string three straight wins together at this level since Davide Valsecchi in 2012.
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Red Bull On The Odds For Nikola Tsolov To Get Into F1
Team bosses usually dodge questions about junior drivers. According to Racingnews 365, RB’s team principal, Alan Permane, said that Tsolov is the next in line for the new seat. Still, some caution belongs here. Permane avoided giving any concrete timeline for a promotion. Furthermore, he insisted the team had not yet reached a decision point, saying a call would come later in the year if needed. Words cost nothing in Formula 1, so watch the actions instead. The licence question also looms over everything. Tsolov currently sits below the 40-point threshold required for an FIA Super Licence, though a top-five championship finish would secure the points he needs.
Given his current lead, that hurdle looks like a formality. Even so, one detail suggests Red Bull is pacing itself. The company has not yet requested his Super Licence, and Ayumu Iwasa has handled the mandatory rookie FP1 sessions instead. Perhaps they want the title wrapped up first. Alternatively, they simply enjoy holding their cards close, which is very on brand. Either way, the message from Faenza sounds unmistakable. The door is open, and everyone knows whose name is on it.
Who Would They Remove?
The odds for Nikola Tsolov to get into F1 are higher than for some RB drivers to stay. Here is where things get genuinely interesting. Racing Bulls currently fields Liam Lawson and rookie Arvid Lindblad. Crucially, both drivers are tied to deals that expire at the end of this season. Someone has to blink, unless a Red Bull Racing seat opens above them. It’s an interesting question. Since Red Bull removed Yuki Tsunoda too, we can not see a reason why they wouldn’t remove Lawson. However, it was under a different principle. To be fair, the incumbents are fighting hard. Lawson and Lindblad have delivered four consecutive double points finishes, lifting the team to sixth in the standings, just one point behind Alpine.
Additionally, both started inside the top ten at Spa, with Lindblad seventh and Lawson ninth. Permane framed their purpose clearly as well. He said the team’s job is developing drivers for Red Bull Racing, keeping both ready if a seat opens alongside or instead of Max Verstappen. Thus, one Verstappen decision could reshuffle everything. If he stays put, three drivers will chase two seats. Somebody loses that game, and history suggests it won’t be the teenager on a winning streak.
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Alonso’s Philosophy: Odds For Nikola Tsolov To Get Into F1
Every great rookie has a mentor story, and Tsolov’s involves a two-time world champion. According to Speedweek, Tsolov is greatly inspired by the time he got to race alongside Alonso. He taught him that you always have to give it all, and your goal should be to push one position ahead if your car is capable, and to prevent being at least two positions behind. The bond ran beyond one race too. Tsolov became one of the first drivers accepted into the A14 Management programme, gaining a stream of advice from the Spaniard.
He still carries one lesson above all others. According to that Speedweek piece, the message was simple. Always give absolutely everything, no matter the machinery underneath you. Push for one position higher whenever the car allows it. Equally, never accept sitting two places below where the package belongs. That philosophy sounds obvious on paper. In practice, it separates champions from talented drivers who drift.
Where To Bet On F2 and F2?
Junior series betting has grown quietly over recent years. All in all, F2 is vastly different from F1, but we saw how other rookies got to outperform not-too-veteran drivers such as Leclerc and Russell with a good car. Formula 2 differs enormously from Formula 1, and history proves it. Spec machinery rewards different skills than a development-driven world championship does. Plenty of junior champions arrived upstairs and quietly faded. However, the reverse also happens, and recently it happens often.
We watched rookies land in strong cars, and immediately trouble established names. You could even find actual odds for Nikola Tsolov to get into F1! A Racing Bulls seat would give the Bulgarian a competitive midfield package. Given his adaptability across four categories in five years, the transition looks manageable. All in all, the ingredients line up unusually well here. A dominant season, an open seat, and a boss saying the quiet part aloud. Register at Planbet Sportsbook and place a bet on both Formula series!