» Formula 2: Zhou joins UNI-Virtuosi

European Formula 3 Championship race-winner Guan Yu Zhou will drive for the new UNI-Virtuosi team in the 2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship season.

Zhou will become the first Chinese driver to race in Formula 1’s official feeder series since Ma Qing Hua’s sole outing for Caterham Racing in the GP2 Series in 2013.

Zhou, who was signed to Ferrari’s junior academy when he was still racing in karts, finished eighth overall in the European F3 Drivers’ Championship – his third year in the category – claiming two victories and six podiums for PREMA Theodore Racing.

His graduation to Formula 2 comes with UNI-Virtuosi, which operated the entries and cars for the Russian Time team for four years until the end of the 2018 season. The team ran the 19-year-old at the recent end-of-season test at Abu Dhabi, where he finished fourth-fastest on the final day of running.

“We’re very happy to welcome Guan Yu to our team and we are looking forward to working with him. He is a very talented driver and rapidly got to grips with the F2 car,” UNI-Virtuosi Racing team boss Andy Roche said.

“The championship is extremely tough and we feel Guan Yu has the talent to progress quickly and have a very strong competitive year with us.”

Zhou is the sixth driver to be confirmed on next year’s Formula 2 grid.

WHO IS GUAN YU ZHOU?
		Full Name	Zhou Guan Yu
		Nationality	Chinese
		Born	30 May 1999, Shanghai (CHN)
		Age	19
		Website	Ferrari Academy Website
		Twitter	gyzhou_33
		Instagram	gyzhou_33

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2015	Italian Formula 4 Championship. Prema Powerteam. 21 races, 3 wins, 9 podiums, 2nd overall. ADAC Formula 4 Championship. Prema Powerteam. 9 races, 2 podiums, 15th overall.
2016	Toyota Racing Series. M2 Competition. 15 races, 1 win, 4 podiums, 6th overall. FIA European Formula 3 Championship. Motopark. 30 races, 2 podiums, 13th overall. Masters of Formula 3. Motopark. 16th overall. Macau Grand Prix. Motopark. 15th overall.
2017	FIA European Formula 3 Championship. Prema Powerteam. 30 races, 5 podiums, 8th overall. Macau Grand Prix. Prema Powerteam. 8th overall.
2018	FIA European Formula 3 Championship. Prema Theodore Racing. 30 races, 2 wins, 6 podiums, 8th overall. Macau Grand Prix. Prema Theodore Racing. 11th overall.
2018-19	FIA ABB Formula E Championship. DS Techeetah. Test Driver.