Monaco’s cool conditions gave Nikola Tsolov the opening he needed in Formula 2
A rare overtaking opportunity in Monaco, shaped by cool weather, mandatory pitstops and tyre management, gave Formula 2’s newest generation of Formula 1 hopefuls a defining contest at the front
Campos driver Nikola Tsolov, below, leads the Invicta car of Rafael Câmara in Monaco; both are shaping up to be future F1 stars
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You can’t overtake in Monaco. Scratch that. You can in unexpectedly cool conditions, in a series where there are mandatory pitstops for tyre changes, and in which tyre warmers are banned. Such a scenario played out in the Formula 2 feature race that acted as a curtain raiser to the Monaco Grand Prix.
Once upon a time, in 2021, Bulgarian Nikola Tsolov placed fourth in the European KF kart standings. Champion was a certain Kimi Antonelli; third was Arvid Lindblad. Runner-up was Rafael Câmara, and it was the Brazilian, long a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, who beat Tsolov to last year’s Formula 3 crown.
Tsolov too has Formula 1 patronage. Since the beginning of last season he is a Red Bull Junior, and he is also part of the A14 Management stable of Fernando Alonso – who presumably named his company after his surname initial and F1 race number over any fondness for the British dual carriageway.
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Tsolov and Câmara have renewed battle in F2 this year, and it played out in spectacular style in Monaco. Câmara, driving for Norfolk-based Invicta Racing, lined up on pole with Tsolov alongside, and held the advantage until the leading runners pitted for super-soft Pirellis for a short final stint. Tsolov called in with 10 laps remaining; Câmara and exciting Alpine F1-backed Irish talent Alex Dunne stayed out for one more tour.
Both emerged ahead of Tsolov who, with tyres up to some semblance of temperature, scrabbled past Dunne and immediately hauled in the struggling Câmara. Still lacking grip, Câmara found Tsolov drawing to his outside on the approach to Sainte Dévote. They were millimetres apart when Câmara locked up and sailed down the escape road into retirement.
Cue Invicta invective over the radio to the crestfallen Câmara: “Why the f*** did you go so slow? We had massive margin! What the f*** happened there?” And joy for 19-year-old Tsolov and Campos Racing: “I just tried to survive. It was really close. I thought I was going out as well, but I’m just glad I managed to get through.”
McKlein
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