Ilott to race for UNI-Virtuosi in 2020

UNI-Virtuosi have announced their first driver for the 2020 Formula 2 campaign, securing Ferrari Academy driver Callum Ilott.

The British racer originally made his debut in the Championship back in 2017, competing in his home event at Silverstone for Trident. The 21-year-old would wait two more years to join on a permanent basis, linking up with Sauber Junior Team by Charouz for 2019.

Ilott took his maiden podium in Barcelona, finishing in third place in the Sprint Race. He took his second in Sochi, when he again nabbed third. He scored seven more points’ finishes to top up his tally, including fourth place at Monza. The Ferrari Junior also took pole in Italy, with a searing tour of the track.

On joining the Norfolk-based outfit, who are currently second in the Teams’ Championship, Ilott elated: “I’m really excited to be joining UNI-Virtuosi for 2020! I believe this is the best place for me to fight for the championship title as winning is in the team’s DNA and I share the same hunger for success.

“The professionalism within the team, from the management to the mechanics, is second to none and it’s easy to see why they’re always mentioned in the fight for the championship.

“The three-day test is the perfect opportunity for me to get to know the team and get up to speed, so when we arrive in Bahrain for the first race we can hit the ground running.”

The British racer initially made a name for himself with an impressive karting career, which featured numerous title wins, including the WSK Masters Series, the WSK Final Cup, the WSK Super Masters Series and the CIK-FIA European Championship.

He made his European F3 debut back in 2015 and competed in the Championship for the next three seasons. He finished fourth in 2017, before making the switch to GP3 with ART Grand Prix, where he finished in third place overall, with two race wins and seven podiums.

UNI-Virtuosi Racing team boss Andy Roche added: “We’re very happy to welcome Callum to our team and we are looking forward to working with him. He is a very talented driver and showed the paddock this year just how naturally gifted he is.

"Callum’s progress through his maiden season showcased his skill and dedication, and we think that he has the maturity and speed in order to fight for the title in 2020.”