Invicta_Racing

Virtuosi Racing

Virtuosi Racing

British auto racing team

Virtuosi Racing (previously known as Virtuosi UK) is a British racing team currently competing in FIA Formula 2 and the F4 British Championship. The team previously raced in the Auto GP series, in addition to running the Russian Time outfit in Formula 2 and its predecessor GP2 Series from 2015 to 2018. With the withdrawal of Russian Time, the team assumed its new name UNI-Virtuosi Racing for the 2019 Formula 2 season. A partnership with watch company Invicta resulted in a further name change from the 2023 season onwards.[1] The Formula 2 operation was again rebranded as Invicta Racing in 2024 after Invicta purchased an ownership stake.[2]

Quick Facts Founded, Founder(s) ...

History

In 2012, Paul Devlin and Andy Roche approached businessman Declan Lohan for financial backing and Virtuosi UK team was founded at Carleton Rode, Norfolk in order to participate in the Auto GP.[3] The team signed GP2 Series driver Pål Varhaug.[4] His team-mates in the first rounds were European F3 Open driver Matteo Beretta and Formula Renault 3.5 Series driver Sten Pentus, before they was replaced by Auto GP veteran Francesco Dracone.[5][6] Varhaug won feature race at Sonoma and reverse-grid races at Monza and Hungaroring, finishing as runner-up in the drivers' standings and bringing fourth place in the teams' standings.[7][8]

For 2013, the team signed FIA European Formula 3 Championship graduate Andrea Roda.[9] He was partnered by Max Snegirev, who previously raced for Campos Racing. Also British team supported Comtec by Virtuosi entry.[10] Unlike the previous season Virtuosi drivers even failed to achieve podium finish and downgraded to seventh in the teams' standings.

The squad prolonged Andrea Roda for 2014 campaign.[11] Also the team expanded to three cars for two opening rounds, fielding Richard Gonda and Sam Dejonghe.[12] At Imola, second car was occupied by returnee Varhaug but he was replaced at Spielberg by Tamás Pál Kiss, who left Zele Racing.[13][14] Also at Spielberg Roda won a reverse-grid race, it was first win for Virtuosi since 2012.[15] Kiss collected another two wins for the team at Nürburgring and Estoril.[16][17] The team finished as runner-up in the teams' standings.

In 2015, the team signed German Formula Three driver Nikita Zlobin.[18] In addition the team replaced iSport International in the managing of the Russian Time team in the GP2 Series.[19]

On 4 December 2018, it was announced Virtuosi would replace the outgoing Russian Time outfit in the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2019 under the name UNI-Virtuosi.[20] The following day, the team confirmed Guanyu Zhou as its first driver.[21] The next day Luca Ghiotto filled the remained slot in the Virtuosi's line-up.[22] The team finished in second place in the Teams' Championship its first season as Virtuosi, with Ghiotto taking four wins.

For 2020 the team retained Zhou as its first driver, whilst replacing the outgoing Ghiotto with Callum Ilott.[23] The team repeated its runners-up finish in Teams' Championship from the previous year, again with four wins.

In 2021, Zhou was once again retained by the team, this time joined by Felipe Drugovich in the other car.[24] For the third year in a row the team finished in second place in the Teams' Championship, once again with four wins, all scored by Zhou. On 20 October, Virtuosi Racing announced its expansion to Formula 4 racing by entering the F4 British Championship from the 2022 season onwards.[25]

With Zhou graduating to Formula 1 in 2022 with Alfa Romeo, his seat was filled by Jack Doohan, with Marino Sato replacing Drugovich.[26] Despite Doohan taking three wins in his rookie season the team could only finish in seventh place in the Teams' Championship.

The 2023 season saw Doohan remain with the team, this time joined by Belgian Amaury Cordeel.[27]

Current series results

FIA Formula 2 Championship

More information Year, Chassis ...

In detail

(key)

More information Year, Drivers ...

* Season still in progress.

F4 British Championship

More information Year, Car ...

Timeline

More information Current series, Former series ...

References

  1. [1]
    Racing, Invicta Virtuosi (25 February 2023). "Invicta Watch Group & Virtuosi Racing join forces in FIA Formula 2 from 2023 onwards". Virtuosi Racing. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  2. [2]
    White, Megan (20 December 2023). "Invicta Watch Group buys ownership stake in Virtuosi Racing". Autosport. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  3. [3]
    "The Team". Virtuosi Racing. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  4. [4]
    Rubino, Jacopo (5 March 2012). "Pal Varhaug nel primo round di Monza con il team Virtuosi UK" [Pal Varhaug in first round at Monza for team Virtuosi UK]. stopandgo.tv (in Italian). Stop&Go. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  5. [5]
    "Pentus joins the Series with Virtuosi UK". Auto GP World Series. Auto GP Organization. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  6. [6]
    Mills, Peter (13 April 2012). "Sergio Campana leads Marrakech Auto GP practice". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 13 April 2012. Norwegian Varhaug has a new team-mate at Virtuosi UK this weekend. Former Euro Series 3000 veteran and IndyCar starter Franceso Dracone replaces Formula Renault 3.5 race winner Sten Pentus.
  7. [7]
    "Varhaug clinches Race 2 win in Monza". Auto GP World Series. Auto GP Organisation. 11 March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  8. [8]
    Mills, Peter (6 May 2012). "Paul Varhaug beats Adrian Quaife-Hobbs to win second Hungaroring Auto GP race". Autosport. Haymarket. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  9. [9]
    "Virtuosi signs Andrea Roda for Auto GP". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  10. [10]
    Mills, Peter (5 August 2013). "Virtuosi to support new Comtec entry in Auto GP". Autosport. Haymarket. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  11. [11]
    Khorounzhiy, Valentin (27 January 2014). "Roda stays with Virtuosi for 2014 Auto GP campaign". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  12. [12]
    "Auto GP set for opener at Marrakech". Auto GP. Auto GP Organisation. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  13. [13]
    "@varhaug: 26 June". Twitter. Twitter Inc. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  14. [14]
    "@VirtuosiRacing: 16 July". Twitter. Twitter Inc. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  15. [15]
    Watkins, Gary (20 July 2014). "Red Bull Ring Auto GP: Roda takes first win in Virtuosi one-two". Autosport. Haymarket. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  16. [16]
    David, Gruz (17 August 2014). "Kiss wins as Sato is crowned Auto GP champion". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  17. [17]
    Allen, Peter (19 October 2014). "Kiss wins first Estoril Auto GP race to secure runner-up spot". Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  18. [18]
    Hensby, Paul (27 February 2015). "Virtuosi sign Nikita Zlobin for 2015 Auto GP season". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  19. [19]
    Mills, Peter (18 March 2015). "Virtuosi to run Russian Time GP2 team". uk.eurosport.yahoo.com. Eurosport. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  20. [20]
    "UNI-VIRTUOSI RACING REPLACE RUSSIAN TIME". 4 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  21. [21]
    Allen, Peter (5 December 2018). "Guan Yu Zhou steps up to F2 with UNI-Virtuosi". formulascout.com. Formula Scout. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  22. [22]
    Horton, Phillip (6 December 2018). "Luca Ghiotto completes UNI-Virtuosi's F2 driver line-up". motorsportweek.com. Motorsport Media Services. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  23. [23]
    Racing, Virtuosi (28 November 2019). "Impressive Formula 2 rookie Callum Ilott will join the UNI-Virtuosi Racing team for the 2020 season". Virtuosi Racing. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  24. [24]
    Racing, Virtuosi (7 December 2020). "Felipe Drugovich joins UNI-Virtuosi Racing for 2021 F2 season". Virtuosi Racing. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  25. [25]
    "Virtuosi Racing to enter FIA British F4 in 2022". Virtuosi Racing. 20 October 2021. Archived from the original on 21 November 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  26. [26]
    "Virtuosi Racing announce their 2022 F2 line-up". www.virtuosiracing.com. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  27. [27]
    "Virtuosi Racing confirms Doohan and Cordeel for 2023 F2 season". FIA_F2® - The Official F2® Website. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
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