When Nikola Tsolov continued with ART Grand Prix for the 2024 F3 season, he described the team as “one of the greatest teams ever.”
“I feel very much at home at ART Grand Prix, which is one of the greatest teams ever, so it’s a pleasure to continue with them for a second year in F3. I know the team, the circuits, the procedures and, apart from the tires, I won’t have to learn anything new. Winter testing showed that we were consistently at the top of the timesheets, and the main target will be to be at the front at every race weekend.”
A roller coaster start
Tsolov, also famously known as the Bulgarian Lion, started the 2024 F3 season with a good outcome. He enjoyed a strong start to the season in Bahrain, placing 4th in the sprint race, despite falling behind at the start of the race. Unfortunately, he would not have similar success in the feature race, missing out on a top-10 finish by just 0.007 seconds. This foreshadowed the rollercoaster to the season to come.
Despite the mixed results, this also showed the driver’s improvement since his 2023 debut. In the 2023 season, Tsolov placed 26th in his debut race at the same track. His P4 finish showed a tremendous improvement since then, showing his growth as a driver.
Disappointment in Melbourne and Imola
At Melbourne, Tsolov’s championship fight suffered a hitch. In the sprint race, he placed 20th after failing to find a good rhythm and falling back from his P9 starting position. The same occurred in the feature race as he fell from 7th down to 19th.
In the 2024 F3 Imola sprint race, Tsolov started 17th on the grid but climbed to 13th by the end of the race. However, though he started the feature race from 14th on the grid, he dropped to 26th by the end.
A maiden win in Monaco
Tsolov started the 2024 Monte Carlo F3 sprint race from pole, and this would form the entire base of his race. He kept his rivals at bay and remained consistent throughout the race to convert his start from pole to a win. This brought him forth his maiden win in F3. It was also the first F3 win for ART Grand Prix since Victor Martin’s in 2022.
However, in the feature race at Monaco, Tsolov ended up placing 27th in the race, even after starting at 12th. This was mainly because of a miscalculated move by Tsolov, which caused Sami Megaetounif to DNF. This resulted in a ten-second penalty that pushed the driver to the back of the grid.
The lull in performances
In the Catalunya sprint race, Tsolov placed 13th, despite starting 10th, after many midfield battles with teammate Christian Mansell and with Gabriele Minì and Luke Browning.
During the feature race, Tsolov, who started from P3, had a front-row seat to the action. However, after struggling with his tyres and facing relentless pressure from the other drivers, he dropped to P6, where he finished the race. Though this was a disappointing end to his weekend, there was a silver lining. Both the Bulgarian driver and his teammate Mansell brought points to the team.
A second win in Spielberg
In Spielberg, Tsolov started the sprint race from P3, behind his teammate Mansell in P2 and pole-sitter Martinius Stenshorne of Hitech Pulse-Eight. The three engaged in a tense battle in the first few rounds which saw Stenshorne lose his position to Mansell. In an attempt to regain it, Stenshorne went off the track, giving room to Tsolov who used the momentum to reach P2. He then took the lead in Lap 7 and held on to claim his second win in F3.
Unfortunately, he could not return to the podium in the next day’s feature race. He placed 6th in the race after starting the race from 10th on the grid.
Further disappointment in Silverstone
In the sprint race at Silverstone, Tsolov initially placed P6 but due to Mansell receiving a penalty he was promoted to P5. He started the race from P8 and made his way up two positions during the race. However, in the Silverstone feature race, he placed 15th after starting the race at 7th.
A final win in Hungary
In Budapest, Tsolov started the sprint race from 11th on the grid. However, he finished the race 29th after an average start and a collision with a competitor which required that his front wing be replaced.
However, he redeemed himself in the feature race. After an excellent start, he took the lead from teammate Laurens van Hoepen. He then led the race until the end, acquiring his third and final win of the 2024 F3 season.
Unfortunately, he would not compete in the 2024 Spa-Francorchamps round after he was suspended due to taking part in the Eurocup-3 Spa-Francorchamps round without FIA approval.
He did, however, participate in the final race weekend in Monza. However, he suffered a disappointing weekend, placing 19th in the sprint race and 17th in the feature race. He ended his season with 75 points and placed 11th overall in the 2024 F3 championship.
A new chapter
Nikola Tsolov is now set to join Campos Racing in 2025, partnering with Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak and Mari Boya. He will also join the Red Bull Junior Academy.
After his excellent 2024 season, there is no doubt that fans are excited to see the Bulgarian Lion in his new kit and with his new teammates. They will be eager to see more wins from Tsolov in the upcoming 2025 F3 championship.
