Virtuosi Racing

Virtuosi Racing
Invicta Racing
Founded	2012
Founder(s)	Paul Devlin; Andy Roche; Declan Lohan
Base	Attleborough, Norfolk, England
Team principal(s)	Andy Roche
Current series	FIA Formula 2 Championship; F4 British Championship
Former series	GP2 Series; Auto GP
Current drivers	FIA Formula 2 Championship; 9. Kush Maini; 10. Gabriel Bortoleto; F4 British Championship; 8. Kai Daryanani; 14. Aqil Alibhai; 28. Douwe Dedecker
Website	https://www.virtuosiracing.com/

Virtuosi Racing (formerly Virtuosi UK, currently racing as Invicta Racing in Formula 2) 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 for 2023, followed by a partial takeover in 2024.^[1]^[2]

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]

UNI-Virtuosi's Luca Ghiotto racing at the 2019 Spielberg Formula 2 round

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

Year	Chassis	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	Races	Wins	Poles	F. Laps	Podiums	D.C.	Pts	T.C.	Pts
2019	Dallara F2 2018	Mecachrome V634T V6 t	P	Zhou Guanyu	22	0	1	2	5	7th	140	2nd	347
2019	Dallara F2 2018	Mecachrome V634T V6 t	P	Luca Ghiotto	22	4	2	2	9	3rd	207	2nd	347
2020	Dallara F2 2018	Mecachrome V634T V6 t	P	Zhou Guanyu	24	1	1	4	6	6th	151.5	2nd	352.5
2020	Dallara F2 2018	Mecachrome V634T V6 t	P	Callum Ilott	24	3	5	0	6	2nd	201	2nd	352.5
2021	Dallara F2 2018	Mecachrome V634T V6 t	P	Zhou Guanyu	22	4	1	1	9	3rd	183	2nd	288
2021	Dallara F2 2018	Mecachrome V634T V6 t	P	Felipe Drugovich	21	0	0	0	4	8th	105	2nd	288
2022	Dallara F2 2018	Mecachrome V634T V6 t	P	Jack Doohan	28	3	3	4	6	6th	128	7th	134
2022	Dallara F2 2018	Mecachrome V634T V6 t	P	Marino Sato	28	0	0	0	0	22nd	6	7th	134
2023	Dallara F2 2018	Mecachrome V634T V6 t	P	Jack Doohan	25	3	2	3	5	3rd	168	5th	176
2023	Dallara F2 2018	Mecachrome V634T V6 t	P	Amaury Cordeel	26	0	0	0	0	20th	8	5th	176
2024	Dallara F2 2024	Mecachrome V634T V6 t	P	Kush Maini	24	1	1	1	5	11th	74	1st*	243.5*
2024	Dallara F2 2024	Mecachrome V634T V6 t	P	Gabriel Bortoleto	24	2	2	2	5	1st	169.5	1st*	243.5*

In detail

(key)

Year	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	T.C.	Points
2019		BHR FEA	BHR SPR	BAK FEA	BAK SPR	CAT FEA	CAT SPR	MCO FEA	MCO SPR	LEC FEA	LEC SPR	RBR FEA	RBR SPR	SIL FEA	SIL SPR	HUN FEA	HUN SPR	SPA FEA	SPA SPR	MNZ FEA	MNZ SPR	SOC FEA	SOC SPR	YMC FEA	YMC SPR					2nd	347
	Zhou Guanyu	10^F	4	Ret	10	3	4	5	3	4	3	6	8	3^P	8	9	9	C	C	Ret	4	10	5	3^F	8
	Luca Ghiotto	2^P	1	9	Ret^F	4^P	2	DSQ	Ret	Ret	12	2	2	1	15	4	8	C	C	2	15	4^F	1	6	1
2020		RBR FEA	RBR SPR	RBR FEA	RBR SPR	HUN FEA	HUN SPR	SIL FEA	SIL SPR	SIL FEA	SIL SPR	CAT FEA	CAT SPR	SPA FEA	SPA SPR	MNZ FEA	MNZ SPR	MUG FEA	MUG SPR	SOC FEA	SOC SPR	BHR FEA	BHR SPR	BHR FEA	BHR SPR					2nd	352.5
	Zhou Guanyu	17^{P F}	14	3	4	10	8^F	2^F	9	9	7	3	14	7	3	5	NC	Ret^F	5	8	1	14	5	2	4
	Callum Ilott	1	9	5	5	8^P	2	5	Ret	1^P	6	5^P	8	10	Ret	6^P	1	12	6	3	7	2^P	16	5	10
2021		BHR SP1	BHR SP2	BHR FEA	MCO SP1	MCO SP2	MCO FEA	BAK SP1	BAK SP2	BAK FEA	SIL SP1	SIL SP2	SIL FEA	MNZ SP1	MNZ SP2	MNZ FEA	SOC SP1	SOC SP2	SOC FEA	JED SP1	JED SP2	JED FEA	YMC SP1	YMC SP2	YMC FEA					2nd	288
	Zhou Guanyu	7	3	1^P	1	15	5^F	3	Ret	13	Ret	11	1	2	8	2	DNS	C	6	17	8	4	8	1	2
	Felipe Drugovich	16	14	9	2	14	3	14	10	4	4	7	6	Ret	17	13	DNS	C	DNS	4	10	5	2	5	3
2022		BHR SPR	BHR FEA	JED SPR	JED FEA	IMO SPR	IMO FEA	CAT SPR	CAT FEA	MCO SPR	MCO FEA	BAK SPR	BAK FEA	SIL SPR	SIL FEA	RBR SPR	RBR FEA	LEC SPR	LEC FEA	HUN SPR	HUN FEA	SPA SPR	SPA FEA	ZAN SPR	ZAN FEA	MNZ SPR	MNZ FEA	YMC SPR	YMC FEA	7th	134
	Jack Doohan	10	10^P	Ret	9^F	11	Ret	6	2^{P F}	7^F	4	11	13	1	9	3	19^F	4	5	1	Ret	2	1	9	Ret	6	Ret^P	7	Ret
	Marino Sato	16	11	8	17	16	11	17	19	15	10	17^†	8	Ret	15	Ret	16	9	Ret	15	15	12	15	19	Ret	11	11	19	15
2023		BHR SPR	BHR FEA	JED SPR	JED FEA	ALB SPR	ALB FEA	BAK SPR	BAK FEA	MCO SPR	MCO FEA	CAT SPR	CAT FEA	RBR SPR	RBR FEA	SIL SPR	SIL FEA	HUN SPR	HUN FEA	SPA SPR	SPA FEA	ZAN SPR	ZAN FEA	MNZ SPR	MNZ FEA	YMC SPR	YMC FEA			5th	176
	Jack Doohan	11	16	7	2	Ret	8	17^†	15	6^F	Ret	5	6	7	4	3	4	10	1^{P F}	5	1^F	6	DNS	9	6	6	1^P
	Amaury Cordeel	21	15	19	20	12	13	9	19	Ret	NC	17	19	15	17	16	Ret	19	21	Ret	15	16	8	Ret	8	17	16
2024		BHR SPR	BHR FEA	JED SPR	JED FEA	ALB SPR	ALB FEA	IMO SPR	IMO FEA	MCO SPR	MCO FEA	CAT SPR	CAT FEA	RBR SPR	RBR FEA	SIL SPR	SIL FEA	HUN SPR	HUN FEA	SPA SPR	SPA FEA	MNZ SPR	MNZ FEA	BAK SPR	BAK FEA	LUS SPR	LUS FEA	YMC SPR	YMC FEA	1st*	243.5*
	Kush Maini	13	7	8	2^P	3	12	8	14	Ret	17	2	6	7	17	3	19	1	7	13	15	11	15^F	9	DSQ
	Gabriel Bortoleto	6	5^P	10	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	2^P	2	8	5	10	4	1	4	6	16^F	4	10	2	8	1	5	4^F

* Season still in progress.

F4 British Championship

Year	Car	Drivers	Races	Wins	F/Laps	Points	D.C.	T.C.
2022	Tatuus F4-T421	Michael Shin	30	1	1	87	11th	5th
2022	Tatuus F4-T421	Edward Pearson	30	0	0	81	12th	5th
2023	Tatuus F4-T421	Aqil Alibhai	30	1	0	169	8th	6th
		Douwe Dedecker	30	0	0	26	21st
		Kai Daryanani	29	0	0	8	24th
2024	Tatuus F4-T421	Martin Molnár	30	0	0	117.5	8th	5th
		Maxwell Dodds	26	0	0	43.5	16th
		Yuhao Fu	30	0	0	27	18th

Timeline

Current series
FIA Formula 2 Championship	2017–present
F4 British Championship	2022–present
Former series
Auto GP	2012–2015
GP2 Series	2015–2016

References

^ 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.
^ White, Megan (20 December 2023). "Invicta Watch Group buys ownership stake in Virtuosi Racing". Autosport. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
^ "The Team". Virtuosi Racing. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
^ 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.
^ "Pentus joins the Series with Virtuosi UK". Auto GP World Series. Auto GP Organization. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
^ 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.
^ "Varhaug clinches Race 2 win in Monza". Auto GP World Series. Auto GP Organisation. 11 March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
^ Mills, Peter (6 May 2012). "Paul Varhaug beats Adrian Quaife-Hobbs to win second Hungaroring Auto GP race". Autosport. Haymarket. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
^ "Virtuosi signs Andrea Roda for Auto GP". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
^ Mills, Peter (5 August 2013). "Virtuosi to support new Comtec entry in Auto GP". Autosport. Haymarket. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
^ Khorounzhiy, Valentin (27 January 2014). "Roda stays with Virtuosi for 2014 Auto GP campaign". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
^ "Auto GP set for opener at Marrakech". Auto GP. Auto GP Organisation. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
^ "@varhaug: 26 June". Twitter. Twitter Inc. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
^ "@VirtuosiRacing: 16 July". Twitter. Twitter Inc. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
^ Watkins, Gary (20 July 2014). "Red Bull Ring Auto GP: Roda takes first win in Virtuosi one-two". Autosport. Haymarket. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
^ David, Gruz (17 August 2014). "Kiss wins as Sato is crowned Auto GP champion". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
^ Allen, Peter (19 October 2014). "Kiss wins first Estoril Auto GP race to secure runner-up spot". Retrieved 18 March 2015.
^ Hensby, Paul (27 February 2015). "Virtuosi sign Nikita Zlobin for 2015 Auto GP season". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
^ Mills, Peter (18 March 2015). "Virtuosi to run Russian Time GP2 team". uk.eurosport.yahoo.com. Eurosport. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
^ "UNI-VIRTUOSI RACING REPLACE RUSSIAN TIME". 4 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
^ Allen, Peter (5 December 2018). "Guan Yu Zhou steps up to F2 with UNI-Virtuosi". formulascout.com. Formula Scout. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
^ Horton, Phillip (6 December 2018). "Luca Ghiotto completes UNI-Virtuosi's F2 driver line-up". motorsportweek.com. Motorsport Media Services. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
^ 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.
^ Racing, Virtuosi (7 December 2020). "Felipe Drugovich joins UNI-Virtuosi Racing for 2021 F2 season". Virtuosi Racing. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
^ "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.
^ "Virtuosi Racing announce their 2022 F2 line-up". www.virtuosiracing.com. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
^ "Virtuosi Racing confirms Doohan and Cordeel for 2023 F2 season". FIA_F2® - The Official F2® Website. Retrieved 4 November 2023.

External links

Official website

[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] White, Megan (20 December 2023). "Invicta Watch Group buys ownership stake in Virtuosi Racing". Autosport. Retrieved 20 December 2023.

[3] "The Team". Virtuosi Racing. Retrieved 18 March 2015.

[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] "Pentus joins the Series with Virtuosi UK". Auto GP World Series. Auto GP Organization. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.

[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] "Varhaug clinches Race 2 win in Monza". Auto GP World Series. Auto GP Organisation. 11 March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2015.

[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] "Virtuosi signs Andrea Roda for Auto GP". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2013.

[10] Mills, Peter (5 August 2013). "Virtuosi to support new Comtec entry in Auto GP". Autosport. Haymarket. Retrieved 18 March 2015.

[11] Khorounzhiy, Valentin (27 January 2014). "Roda stays with Virtuosi for 2014 Auto GP campaign". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 27 January 2014.

[12] "Auto GP set for opener at Marrakech". Auto GP. Auto GP Organisation. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2015.

[13] "@varhaug: 26 June". Twitter. Twitter Inc. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.

[14] "@VirtuosiRacing: 16 July". Twitter. Twitter Inc. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.

[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] David, Gruz (17 August 2014). "Kiss wins as Sato is crowned Auto GP champion". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 18 March 2015.

[17] Allen, Peter (19 October 2014). "Kiss wins first Estoril Auto GP race to secure runner-up spot". Retrieved 18 March 2015.

[18] Hensby, Paul (27 February 2015). "Virtuosi sign Nikita Zlobin for 2015 Auto GP season". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved 18 March 2015.

[19] Mills, Peter (18 March 2015). "Virtuosi to run Russian Time GP2 team". uk.eurosport.yahoo.com. Eurosport. Retrieved 18 March 2015.

[20] "UNI-VIRTUOSI RACING REPLACE RUSSIAN TIME". 4 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.

[Zhou-21] Allen, Peter (5 December 2018). "Guan Yu Zhou steps up to F2 with UNI-Virtuosi". formulascout.com. Formula Scout. Retrieved 5 December 2018.

[Ghiotto-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] 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] Racing, Virtuosi (7 December 2020). "Felipe Drugovich joins UNI-Virtuosi Racing for 2021 F2 season". Virtuosi Racing. Retrieved 4 November 2023.

[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] "Virtuosi Racing announce their 2022 F2 line-up". www.virtuosiracing.com. Retrieved 4 November 2023.

[27] "Virtuosi Racing confirms Doohan and Cordeel for 2023 F2 season". FIA_F2® - The Official F2® Website. Retrieved 4 November 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]