Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov reveals Fernando Alonso’s advice that he has ‘never forgotten’

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Formula 2 star Nikola Tsolov has revealed the unforgettable advice given to him by two-time F1 world champion and former manager Fernando Alonso.

The current F2 championship leader began his career in single-seaters under the wing of Alonso, through the Spaniard’s A14 Management agency. Tsolov has often credited Alonso for his expert guidance as he climbed the single-seater ladder.

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However, the pair cut ties after Tsolov joined the Red Bull Junior Team last year, following a two-year stint with the Alpine Academy. Despite the split, Tsolov still puts Alonso’s advice to use, now revealing that he has “never forgotten” one tip that the Aston Martin ace gave him.

• READ MORE: Who is Nikola Tsolov? Everything to know about the Red Bull junior linked with Racing Bulls F1 seat

Nikola Tsolov recalls Fernando Alonso advice he has ‘never forgotten’

In an interview with ServusTV, the Bulgarian F1 hopeful was asked about his relationship with Alonso, having spent the majority of his career so far with the Spaniard in his corner.

“My time with him was fantastic, and he helped me a lot when I transitioned from karting to Formula 4,” Tsolov began via Speedweek, before recalling the best bit of advice that Alonso ever gave him.

“He gave me a lot of tips, and one of them I’ve never forgotten: ‘If your car is good enough to finish third, you have to finish second. You don’t have to finish fifth.'”

The 19-year-old then highlighted his takeaway from the wise words, adding, “You always have to give your all, even when you’re struggling and it’s tempting to give up when you have no chance of winning.”

This mentality is, of course, just one of the many reasons why Alonso has continued to compete among the best drivers in the world well into his mid-40s.

He concluded: “You can see that with Fernando himself; he never gives up, no matter how competitive the car is. He gave me that advice right from the start.”

At the most recent round of racing, Racing Bulls chief Alan Permane said that Tsolov was “next in line” for a seat at Red Bull’s sister team, and he is already letting his results do the talking.

• READ MORE: David Coulthard tells F1 fans to ‘listen for that name’ after watching one F2 driver this year

David Coulthard is another F1 paddock figure who is also a keen admirer of Tsolov’s talents, outlining how he expects an “incoming issue” at Racing Bulls over their 2027 line-up with the young Bulgarian in mind.

If Tsolov is successful in securing a seat for 2027, he will mark the second protege of Alonso’s to have reached the pinnacle of single-seater motorsport after Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto.