Tsolov and León deliver a clean sweep of victories for Campos Racing in Monaco
The fourth round of the 2026 FIA Formula 2 season proved outstanding for Campos Racing and its drivers. Nikola Tsolov and Noel León shared the victories in the two races contested this weekend on the streets of the Principality of Monaco. Saturday belonged to León, with the Mexican driver taking a commanding Sprint Race win. On Sunday, Tsolov followed suit. The “Bulgarian Lion” delivered a near-perfect drive to emerge victorious and stand on the coveted top step of the podium in Monaco.
Thursday’s Free Practice session, interrupted by two red flags following separate incidents, already showcased the excellent pace of both Campos Racing drivers around the legendary street circuit. Consistently among the frontrunners, Tsolov and León finished sixth and seventh respectively, posting lap times of 1:22.015 and 1:22.424.
Friday at midday brought qualifying—or rather, the qualifying sessions. The odd-numbered cars took to the track first, meaning León was the first Campos Racing representative in action. On his opening run, León clocked a 1:23.259 to provisionally place fifth, with significant room for improvement still available. However, just as he was setting a purple first sector, a red flag interrupted proceeding. Everything would come down to a final all-or-nothing effort after the restart, with barely enough time for one clean lap. The Mexican driver responded with a superb 1:21.595, securing fourth place in his qualifying group.
Shortly afterwards, it was time for the even-numbered cars, and Tsolov immediately established himself at the sharp end aboard his Red Bull-liveried Formula 2 car. His first representative lap was a 1:23.096 before improving to a 1:21.339. Yet it was on his final attempt that he truly delivered, stopping the clock at 1:21.053 to top his session and finish just over a tenth shy of the fastest time recorded in the first group. The result secured the “Bulgarian Lion” a brilliant front-row starting position for Sunday’s Feature Race.
Before that, however, Saturday’s 30-lap Sprint Race awaited. Thanks to the reversed-grid format for the top ten qualifiers, León lined up on pole position. Just as he had done in Montreal a few weeks earlier, the Mexican made the most of the opportunity. When the lights went out, he retained the lead ahead of Roman Bilinski, while Tsolov, starting further back in the pack, expertly avoided trouble and crossed the line tenth at the end of the opening lap. León’s maturity and race management were evident throughout the contest. Initially, he maintained a pace that prevented Bilinski from mounting any serious challenge. As the race approached halfway distance, León gradually increased his speed and began stretching the field. Bilinski was the last driver able to remain in contention, but even the Briton eventually lost touch. León crossed the finish line to claim his second Sprint Race victory of the season, finishing three and a half seconds clear of Bilinski. Meanwhile, Tsolov demonstrated his pace without taking unnecessary risks ahead of Sunday by setting the fastest lap of the race.
Sunday’s Feature Race began early in the morning under cooler track conditions than those experienced the previous day. Nevertheless, the 42-lap contest represented a significant challenge. The preferred strategy involved starting on the soft compound and extending the first stint before switching to the supersoft tyres. At the start, both Tsolov and León maintained their respective grid positions of second and seventh as they settled into the race. The opening laps were characterised by tyre management and strategic pacing, with drivers carefully balancing pressure on the cars ahead while preserving their rubber. Around lap twenty, Tsolov remained firmly attached to the rear of Rafael Câmara, circulating just over one and a half seconds behind and applying constant pressure in an attempt to force an error. León, meanwhile, continued to run seventh. The first pit stops among the leaders began around lap 27, with León among the early visitors to the pit lane. Tsolov found no immediate opportunity to overtake Câmara on track, prompting a strategic decision with his engineers to pit before the Brazilian on lap 31. Although Câmara reacted shortly afterwards, the greater temperature in Tsolov’s tyres enabled him to erase the gap entirely. Pulling alongside on the start-finish straight, Tsolov seized his chance when Câmara braked too late and went straight on at Sainte Dévote. The Campos Racing driver inherited the lead as Câmara came to a halt in the escape road. From there, Tsolov controlled proceedings and powered to his third victory of the season. To complete a perfect afternoon, he also secured the bonus point awarded for the fastest lap of the race. León added further valuable points to the team’s tally by finishing ninth.
Following Monaco, Tsolov moves up to second in the Drivers’ Championship with 62 points, just one point behind leader Gabriele Minì. León occupies fifth place with 45 points to his name. In the Teams’ Championship, Campos Racing returns to the top of the standings with 107 points. The next round of the 2026 FIA Formula 2 season will take place in just a few days’ time at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, one of only two events on Spanish soil this year.
