(Motorsport-Total.com) – The “Silly Season” is entering its hot phase: Whenever summer approaches, the question arises as to who will drive for which team in the upcoming Formula 1 season. Red Bull is always an exciting topic because they have four seats available with their B-team Racing Bulls.
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And since it is far from set in stone that Max Verstappen will stay with the Bulls beyond 2026, it is worth taking a look at who Red Bull might next promote from its roster to the top class. And currently, two names stand out in particular.
The logical candidate: Ayumu Iwasa. The Japanese driver has been part of Red Bull’s junior team for several years and was allowed to participate in both Friday practice sessions in Barcelona and Spielberg – once for Isack Hadjar in Spain and once for Liam Lawson in Austria.
As the reigning champion of the Japanese Super Formula, Iwasa has the sporting credentials on his side, but there is another candidate who has raised ambitions with his performances this year: Nikola Tsolov.
Already three wins in Formula 2
Even though the Bulgarian may not have always convinced in Formula 3 and only made his breakthrough with the runner-up title in his third season: He is causing a stir right away in Formula 2.
He has already celebrated three wins there – including the feature race in Monaco – and is currently second in the championship after five events, just behind Alpine junior Gabriele Mini, who is in his second Formula 2 season and has only won once so far.
But despite his successes, Tsolov does not yet seem to be a candidate for a Formula 1 promotion: “Honestly, we haven’t even discussed it,” Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane dismisses rumors when asked by Sky. “Not at all.”
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“Of course,” the Bulgarian is on the radar simply because of his membership in the Red Bull program, Permane emphasizes. “He is doing very well in Formula 2, but I am very satisfied with the two I currently have. And at the moment, as I said, there is absolutely no discussion about it.”
Racing Bulls want to continue relying on Lawson/Lindblad
So far, Tsolov has not yet sat in a Formula 1 car, and he has missed out on Friday practice sessions against Iwasa, but Permane has a simple explanation for this: “Tsolov does not yet have a super license, so Ayumu did a great job for us this morning.”
The super license should theoretically be achievable for the 19-year-old, provided there is no complete drop in form. His second place in Formula 3 earned him 25 of the required 40 points, and the missing 15 can be obtained with a fifth place in Formula 2.
Red Bull juniors in Formula 1
Nevertheless, the chances of a direct promotion for 2027 seem slim. Even if Tsolov were preferred over Iwasa, the cockpits at Racing Bulls are occupied by Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, who have shown strong performances in recent weeks and do not have to fear being replaced.
“They do everything we ask of them, everything I demand from them, they deliver,” praises Permane, who is “very satisfied” with his drivers. “They are very focused, work hard, and deliver on the track, which is of course the most important thing.”
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The only hope is probably Max Verstappen.