A 19-year-old Bulgarian driver climbed to the top of the Formula 2 standings this weekend with a performance that has motorsport fans back home, and in the diaspora, reaching for their phones. Nikola Tsolov claimed both the sprint race and the feature race at the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone, making it his first double victory in the championship and extending his winning streak to three consecutive races.
Context for new readers: Formula 2 is the official stepping stone to Formula 1, the world's premier motor racing series. Winning it is effectively an audition for the sport's top tier.
From Fifth on the Grid to First on the Podium
Tsolov started the feature race from fifth position on the grid, having qualified there on Friday. According to Club Z, he made a stunning launch off the line, overtaking three rivals in the opening moments to slot in directly behind Kush Maini. The two ran closely together through the early stint on soft tyres, both pitting on lap seven, with Maini emerging from the pit lane with a half-second advantage.
That lead did not last. Varna24 reports that Tsolov caught and passed Maini around lap 19 and 20, moving up to eighth place at that point in the race. As rivals who had started on harder tyres made their own stops, the Bulgarian emerged at the front of the field with a growing cushion. By the time all pit stops were completed, Club Z notes he held a five-second lead over championship rival Gabriele Mini. He went on to win by 4.7 seconds, with Rafael Villagomez in second and Maini in third.
