Nikola Tsolov delivered another standout weekend in Monaco, claiming victory in Sunday’s Feature Race and continuing his remarkable winning record around the streets of Monte Carlo.
After wins in Monaco in both 2024 and 2025, Nikola made it three years in a row with another controlled and confident performance. With 27 points from the weekend, including victory and fastest lap in the Feature Race, he leaves Monaco just one point away from the Formula 2 championship lead.
Friday: Strong Pace From the Start
Nikola began the weekend with a solid Free Practice session, finishing P6 and showing strong pace from the early stages. Heading into Monaco, the aim was not to overforce anything, but to stay consistent, collect points and let the weekend come together.
“Heading into Monaco, I was just aiming to score some points and focus on consistency,” Nikola said. “Obviously we knew we had the pace. I always feel confident around Monaco, so it was a calm approach, just letting things come together.”
That calm approach quickly paid off.
Qualifying: P1 in Group B and a Front Row Start
In qualifying, Nikola topped Group B with a 1:21.053, putting himself firmly in contention for pole position. Rafael Câmara, running in Group A, took overall pole with a 1:20.923, just over a tenth faster.
The result placed Nikola second on the grid for Sunday’s Feature Race, giving him a clear opportunity to fight for another big result in Monaco.
“We managed to do a strong quali,” Nikola said.
Saturday: Sprint Race Point and Fastest Lap
Starting ninth in Saturday’s Sprint Race, Nikola knew that overtaking around Monaco would be difficult. He finished P10, but still came away with an important point after taking the fastest lap.
The lap was a statement in itself, with Nikola setting all three purple sectors on his way to the fastest time of the race.
“We scored the fastest lap in the Sprint Race, setting all three purple sectors,” he explained.
Even on a day where track position limited the final result, Nikola still found a way to add to his weekend tally.
Sunday: Strategy, Pressure and Victory in the Feature Race
Starting from P2 in Sunday’s Feature Race, Nikola made a clean start and held position in the early laps. With Monaco offering very few overtaking opportunities, the pit stop phase was always likely to be the key moment.
“We had a good start from second, kept the position, and then just tried to execute the best strategy possible,” Nikola said. “The pit stop was the only real opportunity we had to fight for the win.”
Campos made the call to bring Nikola in for the supersoft tyre, which immediately created a difficult but decisive out lap.
“It was extremely hard to put the tyre in the working range. When it was cold, it was very slippery and tricky to drive, but I tried my best to get temperature into it on the out lap. That was crucial.”
That out lap made the difference. When Câmara boxed one lap later, Nikola had warmer tyres and was able to put him under immediate pressure as the Brazilian struggled to bring the supersofts up to temperature. Nikola took advantage of the moment, moved into the race lead and never looked back.
“Kamara boxed a lap later, and I took advantage of the hot tyres. I put him under pressure when he was struggling on the supersoft and managed to take the race lead.”
From there, Nikola controlled the race with confidence. Once in front, he managed the gap, kept everything under control and looked completely at home leading around Monaco.
“That’s where I felt most comfortable, obviously, leading,” he said.
To complete the performance, Nikola pushed for the fastest lap near the end of the race, again setting all three purple sectors and claiming the extra point.
A Third Straight Monaco Win and More Championship Momentum
With Feature Race victory, fastest lap and a Sprint Race point, Nikola scored 27 points across the weekend. It also marked his third consecutive year winning in Monaco, further strengthening his reputation around one of the most demanding circuits in motorsport.
The result continues an exceptional start to his Formula 2 campaign, with three victories in the first four races. Nikola now sits second in the Drivers’ Championship with 62 points, just one behind championship leader Gabriele Minì on 63.
“Heading into Barcelona, I have a lot of confidence,” Nikola said. “We’re just one point away from the championship lead, so we’ll keep chopping points away. Confident and calm.”
Next up is Barcelona, where Nikola will look to continue the same approach that has brought him so much success already this season.