Tsolov to Make First Official F1 Appearance in Mexico FP1 for Racing Bulls

Visa Cash App Racing Bulls have confirmed that Bulgarian junior Nikola Tsolov will drive in first practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix, taking over Liam Lawson's car for the session at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The outing marks Tsolov's first appearance in an official Formula 1 session and represents a significant milestone in his development as a Red Bull Junior Team driver. Tsolov joined the Red Bull junior programme in 2025 after a junior career that included winning the Spanish Formula 4 championship in 2022 and finishing runner-up in FIA Formula 3. His practice run is part of Formula 1's rookie-driver obligations, which require each team to field a young driver in a set number of Friday practice sessions across the season. For Tsolov, the Mexico City session offers a first taste of Formula 1 machinery on a grand prix weekend, and a chance to impress the Red Bull hierarchy as he pushes toward a future on the grid. Lawson will return to the car for the remainder of the weekend.