Virtuosi Racing
British auto racing team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Virtuosi Racing (formerly Virtuosi UK) is a British racing team currently competing in the F4 British Championship. The team previously raced in the Auto GP series, in addition to running the Russian Time outfit in GP2 and Formula 2 from 2015 to 2018. With the withdrawal of Russian Time, the team assumed its new name UNI-Virtuosi Racing for the 2019 F2 season. A partnership with watch company Invicta resulted in a further name change for 2023,[1] a partial takeover which saw the birth of Invicta Racing in 2024,[2] and a full takeover in 2025.[3]
Andy Roche
Declan Lohan
| Founded | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Founder(s) | Paul Devlin Andy Roche Declan Lohan |
| Base | Attleborough, Norfolk, England |
| Team principal(s) | Andy Roche |
| Current series | F4 British Championship |
| Former series | FIA Formula 2 Championship GP2 Series Auto GP |
| Current drivers | F4 British Championship |
| Teams' Championships | FIA Formula 2 Championship: 2017, 2024 |
| Drivers' Championships | FIA Formula 2 Championship: 2024: Gabriel Bortoleto |
| Website | https://www.virtuosiracing.com/ |
History
In 2012, former Super Nova Racing employees 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.[4][5] The team signed GP2 Series driver Pål Varhaug.[6] 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.[7][8] 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.[9][10]
For 2013, the team signed FIA European Formula 3 Championship graduate Andrea Roda.[11] He was partnered by Max Snegirev, who previously raced for Campos Racing. Also British team supported Comtec by Virtuosi entry.[12] 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.[13] Also the team expanded to three cars for two opening rounds, fielding Richard Gonda and Sam Dejonghe.[14] At Imola, second car was occupied by returnee Varhaug but he was replaced at Spielberg by Tamás Pál Kiss, who left Zele Racing.[15][16] Also at Spielberg Roda won a reverse-grid race, it was first win for Virtuosi since 2012.[17] Kiss collected another two wins for the team at Nürburgring and Estoril.[18][19] The team finished as runner-up in the teams' standings.
In 2015, the team signed German Formula Three driver Nikita Zlobin.[20] In addition the team replaced iSport International in the managing of the Russian Time team in the GP2 Series.[21]

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.[22] The following day, the team confirmed Guanyu Zhou as its first driver.[23] The next day Luca Ghiotto filled the remained slot in the Virtuosi's line-up.[24] The team finished in second place in the Teams' Championship in 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.[25] 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.[26] 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.[27]
With Zhou graduating to Formula 1 in 2022 with Alfa Romeo, his seat was filled by Jack Doohan, with Marino Sato replacing Drugovich.[28] Despite Doohan taking three wins in his rookie season the team could only finish in seventh place in the Teams' Championship.
Prior to the 2023 season, the team announced a new title partnership deal with the Invicta Watch Group.[29] The 2023 season saw Doohan remain with the team, this time joined by Belgian Amaury Cordeel.[30] Cordeel would have an uncompetitive season, finishing 20th in the standings. Doohan had a slow start to the season, but would rebound with two poles and three feature race wins to finish third in the standings.[31]
Ahead of the 2024 season, Invicta announced that it had purchased an ownership stake in the team, which would thereby compete as Invicta Racing. Virtuosi would still co-own and operate the team. With Jack Doohan graduating to a test and reserve driver role with the Alpine F1 Team and Amaury Cordeel switching to Hitech, the team had a brand new driver lineup in Indian Alpine junior Kush Maini and reigning FIA Formula 3 champion Gabriel Bortoleto.[32][33][34] It proved to be a breakthrough season for both parties, as Bortoleto collected two wins and narrowly beat Campos Racing's Isack Hadjar to the title in his rookie year. Maini's points in turn helped Invicta clinch the teams' championship, the first for Virtuosi since 2017, when the British outfit ran Russian Time.[35] Another milestone quickly followed, as Bortoleto and Doohan became the first Virtuosi Racing drivers ever to graduate to Formula One, joining Sauber and Alpine respectively.[36][37]
In March 2025, Invicta completed acquisition of the Formula 2 squad and split from Virtuosi, with the exception of Roche, who would remain a consultant.[38][39]
Current series results
F4 British Championship
| Year | Car | Drivers | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Points | D.C. | T.C. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Tatuus F4-T421 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 87 | 11th | 5th | |
| 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 12th | ||||
| 2023 | Tatuus F4-T421 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 169 | 8th | 6th | |
| 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 21st | ||||
| 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 24th | ||||
| 2024 | Tatuus F4-T421 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 117.5 | 8th | 5th | |
| 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43.5 | 16th | ||||
| 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 18th | ||||
| 2025 | Tatuus F4-T421 | 30 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 277 | 3rd | 4th | |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 19th | ||||
| 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 24th | ||||
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 30th | ||||
| 2026 | Tatuus F4-T421 | ||||||||
Former series results
FIA Formula 2 Championship
| Year | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | Races | Wins | Poles | F. Laps | Podiums | D.C. | Pts | T.C. | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| As "Russian Time" | |||||||||||||
| 2017 | Dallara GP2/11 |
Mecachrome V8108 V8 |
P | 22 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 2nd | 210 | 1st | 395 | |
| 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4th | 185 | |||||||
| 2018 | Dallara F2 2018 |
Mecachrome V634T V6 t |
P | 24 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 5th | 186 | 4th | 234 | |
| 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13th | 48 | |||||||
| As "UNI-Virtuosi Racing/Virtuosi Racing" | |||||||||||||
| 2019 | Dallara F2 2018 |
Mecachrome V634T V6 t |
P | 22 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7th | 140 | 2nd | 347 | |
| 22 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 3rd | 207 | |||||||
| 2020 | Dallara F2 2018 |
Mecachrome V634T V6 t |
P | 24 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 6th | 151.5 | 2nd | 352.5 | |
| 24 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 2nd | 201 | |||||||
| 2021 | Dallara F2 2018 |
Mecachrome V634T V6 t |
P | 22 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 3rd | 183 | 2nd | 288 | |
| 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8th | 105 | |||||||
| 2022 | Dallara F2 2018 |
Mecachrome V634T V6 t |
P | 28 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6th | 128 | 7th | 134 | |
| 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22nd | 6 | |||||||
| 2023 | Dallara F2 2018 |
Mecachrome V634T V6 t |
P | 25 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3rd | 168 | 5th | 176 | |
| 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20th | 8 | |||||||
| As "Invicta Racing" | |||||||||||||
| 2024 | Dallara F2 2024 |
Mecachrome V634T V6 t |
P | 28 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 13th | 74 | 1st | 288.5 | |
| 28 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 1st | 214.5 | |||||||
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | BHR FEA |
BHR SPR |
CAT FEA |
CAT SPR |
MON FEA |
MON SPR |
BAK FEA |
BAK SPR |
RBR FEA |
RBR SPR |
SIL FEA |
SIL SPR |
HUN FEA |
HUN SPR |
SPA FEA |
SPA SPR |
MNZ FEA |
MNZ SPR |
JER FEA |
JER SPR |
YMC FEA |
YMC SPR |
1st | 395 | |||||||
| 7 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 16 | 7 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 5 | ||||||||||
| 1 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 17† | 9 | 1 | Ret | 9 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||||
| 2018 | BHR FEA |
BHR SPR |
BAK FEA |
BAK SPR |
CAT FEA |
CAT SPR |
MON FEA |
MON 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 |
4th | 234 | |||||
| 3 | 1 | Ret | Ret | 8 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 14† | 8 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 7 | ||||||||
| 19 | 17 | 9 | 9 | 9 | Ret | 14† | Ret | 8 | Ret | 7 | 6 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 9 | Ret | ||||||||
| 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 | |||||
| 10F | 4 | Ret | 10 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 3P | 8 | 9 | 9 | C | C | Ret | 4 | 10 | 5 | 3F | 8 | ||||||||
| 2P | 1 | 9 | RetF | 4P | 2 | DSQ | Ret | Ret | 12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 4 | 8 | C | C | 2 | 15 | 4F | 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 | |||||
| 17P F | 14 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 8F | 2F | 9 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 5 | NC | RetF | 5 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||
| 1 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 8P | 2 | 5 | Ret | 1P | 6 | 5P | 8 | 10 | Ret | 6P | 1 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 2P | 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 | |||||
| 7 | 3 | 1P | 1 | 15 | 5F | 3 | Ret | 13 | Ret | 11 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 2 | DNS | C | 6 | 17 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
| 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 | |
| 10 | 10P | Ret | 9F | 11 | Ret | 6 | 2P F | 7F | 4 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 19F | 4 | 5 | 1 | Ret | 2 | 1 | 9 | Ret | 6 | RetP | 7 | Ret | ||||
| 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 | |||
| 11 | 16 | 7 | 2 | Ret | 8 | 17† | 15 | 6F | Ret | 5 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 1P F | 5 | 1F | 6 | DNS | 9 | 6 | 6 | 1P | ||||||
| 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 | 288.5 | |
| 13 | 7 | 8 | 2P | 3 | 12 | 8 | 14 | Ret | 17 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 3 | 19 | 1 | 7 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 15F | 9 | DSQ | 20† | 14 | 17 | 12 | ||||
| 6 | 5P | 10 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 6 | 2P | 2 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 16F | 4 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 4F | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Timeline
| Current series | |
|---|---|
| F4 British Championship | 2022–present |
| Former series | |
| Auto GP | 2012–2015 |
| GP2 Series | 2015–2016 |
| FIA Formula 2 Championship | 2017–2024 |