Racing Bulls have confirmed that Nikola Tsolov will drive the VCARB 03 in the first free practice session of the Mexico City Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

Tsolov will take the wheel of Liam Lawson's car, marking his first appearance in an official Formula 1 session. The outing represents an important milestone in his development as a Red Bull Junior Programme driver.

Tsolov joined the Red Bull Junior Team in 2025, following an impressive junior career that saw him win the Spanish F4 Championship in 2022 and finish runner-up in the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2025. Now competing in the FIA Formula 2 season with Campos Racing, he has established himself as a title contender, challenging for the 2026 Drivers' Championship.

Nikola Tsolov: "A big thank you to VCARB for giving me this opportunity in Mexico. Following my test with the team at Imola in August, I'm excited to take this next step, build on that experience and learn more about the car and the current regulations. I'll focus on making the most of the session, working closely with the team and providing useful feedback."

Alan Permane: "Running Nikola in FP1 is an important step in his development within the Red Bull Junior Programme. It reflects our commitment to nurturing emerging talent and giving our junior drivers valuable track time and the support they need to learn and develop. Having already worked with Nikola at Imola, we're looking forward to seeing him build on that experience in Mexico and to the feedback he can provide to help support our preparations for the weekend."