ART Grand Prix has announced that Nikola Tsolov will join the team in 2023 as a full-time driver in the FIA Formula 3 Championship.
Tsolov jumps to the series following a highly successful Spanish Formula 4 season, in which he dominated en route to the championship.
The Bulgarian driver is a member of the Alpine Affiliate programme and A14 Management, a driver management company founded by two-time Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso.
Tsolov got his first taste of F3 machinery at the post-season test from Jerez earlier this year with ART GP.
“It’s a pleasure for me to be stepping up to FIA F3 next year with ART Grand Prix,” he said.
“They’ve been very successful in every championship they’ve competed in and a lot of F1 drivers have been a part of the team. So, I’m super happy to start our journey!”
Tsolov is the second driver confirmed by ART for 2023, after it announced that Gregoire Saucy would stay for a second campaign next year.
ART Grand Prix ended the 2022 F3 season with the Drivers’ Championship in hand, courtesy of Victor Martins.
Team Principal Sébastien Philippe added: “Although it was his debut in F3 and with ART Grand Prix, during the Jerez test Nikola confirmed his ability to adapt quickly and well to a new environment as well as getting the most out of the car.
“His natural speed is reinforced by a great thirst for learning and by remarkable seriousness and determination for such a young age.
“Nikola fits the profile of the young drivers ART Grand Prix takes under its wing and, in the wake of the team securing the FIA Formula 3 with Victor Martins, we want to lay the foundations for a strong line-up, one that is capable of fighting for victory from the very first race of 2023.”
