Virtuosi Racing

Virtuosi Racing (previously known as Virtuosi UK) is a British racing team currently competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship. The team previously ran in the Auto GP series, in addition to running the Russian Time outfit in Formula 2 and its predecessor GP2 Series up until 2018. With the withdrawal of Russian Time, the team assumed its new name UNI Virtuosi Racing for the 2019 Formula 2 season.

Virtuosi Racing
Founded2012
BaseAttleborough, Norfolk, England
Team principal(s)Andy Roche
Current seriesFIA Formula 2 Championship
Former seriesGP2 Series
Auto GP
Current drivers Guanyu Zhou
Callum Ilott
Websitehttps://www.virtuosiracing.com/

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.[1] The team signed GP2 Series driver Pål Varhaug.[2] His team-mates in the first rounds was 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.[3][4] 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.[5][6]

For 2013, the team signed FIA European Formula 3 Championship graduate Andrea Roda.[7] He was partnered by Max Snegirev, who previously raced for Campos Racing. Also British team supported Comtec by Virtuosi entry.[8] 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.[9] Also the team expanded to three cars for two opening rounds, fielding Richard Gonda and Sam Dejonghe.[10] At Imola, second car was occupied by returnee Varhaug but he was replaced at Spielberg by Tamás Pál Kiss, who left Zele Racing.[11][12] Also at Spielberg Roda won a reverse-grid race, it was first win for Virtuosi since 2012.[13] Kiss collected another two wins for the team at Nürburgring and Estoril.[14][15] The team finished as runner-up in the teams' standings.

In 2015, the team signed German Formula Three driver Nikita Zlobin.[16] As well the team will replace iSport International in the managing of the Russian Time team in the GP2 Series.[17]

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.[18] The following day, the team confirmed Guanyu Zhou as its first driver.[19] Day after, Luca Ghiotto filled the remained slot in the Virtuosi's line-up.[20]

Current series results

FIA Formula 2 Championship
Year Car Drivers Races Wins Poles FLaps Podiums T.C. Points
2019 Dallara F2 2018-Mecachrome Luca Ghiotto 22 4 2 2 9 2nd 347
Guanyu Zhou 22 0 1 2 5
2020 Dallara F2 2018-Mecachrome Callum Ilott 12 2 4[lower-alpha 1] 3 1st* 197*
Guanyu Zhou 12 1 3 3

*Season in progress

Timeline
Current series
FIA Formula 2 Championship 2017-2020
Former series
Auto GP 2012-2015
GP2 Series 2015-2016

Notes
  1. 2 poles achieved during qualifying, and 1 pole given as a result of the reverse grid in the sprint race.[21]
gollark: There are various misfeatures allowing generation of stupid amounts of money.
gollark: Playing a very broken game.
gollark: Over the past 12ish hours.
gollark: People are making horrendously giant quantities of money. My exploiting of one issue is barely having an effect.
gollark: The central bank balance is dropping impressively fast with all of the exploiting taking place.

References
  1. "The Team". Virtuosi Racing. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  2. 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.
  3. "Pentus joins the Series with Virtuosi UK". Auto GP World Series. Auto GP Organization. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  4. 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.
  5. "Varhaug clinches Race 2 win in Monza". Auto GP World Series. Auto GP Organisation. 11 March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  6. Mills, Peter (6 May 2012). "Paul Varhaug beats Adrian Quaife-Hobbs to win second Hungaroring Auto GP race". Autosport. Haymarket. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  7. "Virtuosi signs Andrea Roda for Auto GP". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  8. Mills, Peter (5 August 2013). "Virtuosi to support new Comtec entry in Auto GP". Autosport. Haymarket. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  9. Khorounzhiy, Valentin (27 January 2014). "Roda stays with Virtuosi for 2014 Auto GP campaign". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  10. "Auto GP set for opener at Marrakech". Auto GP. Auto GP Organisation. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  11. "@varhaug: 26 June". Twitter. Twitter Inc. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  12. "@VirtuosiRacing: 16 July". Twitter. Twitter Inc. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  13. Watkins, Gary (20 July 2014). "Red Bull Ring Auto GP: Roda takes first win in Virtuosi one-two". Autosport. Haymarket. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  14. David, Gruz (17 August 2014). "Kiss wins as Sato is crowned Auto GP champion". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  15. Allen, Peter (19 October 2014). "Kiss wins first Estoril Auto GP race to secure runner-up spot". Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  16. Hensby, Paul (27 February 2015). "Virtuosi sign Nikita Zlobin for 2015 Auto GP season". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  17. Mills, Peter (18 March 2015). "Virtuosi to run Russian Time GP2 team". uk.eurosport.yahoo.com. Eurosport. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  18. "UNI-VIRTUOSI RACING REPLACE RUSSIAN TIME". 4 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  19. Allen, Peter (5 December 2018). "Guan Yu Zhou steps up to F2 with UNI-Virtuosi". formulascout.com. Formula Scout. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  20. Horton, Phillip (6 December 2018). "Luca Ghiotto completes UNI-Virtuosi's F2 driver line-up". motorsportweek.com. Motorsport Media Services. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  21. "Formula 2 poles". results.motorsportstats.com. Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
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