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Štefan Rosina

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Štefan Rosina
Rosina in 2022
NationalitySlovakia Slovak
Born (1987-07-15) 15 July 1987 (age 37)
Púchov, Czechoslovakia
FIA GT Series career
Current teamTrue Racing by Reiter Engineering
Racing licence FIA Silver
Car number15
Former teamsVERVA Racing Team, Walter Lechner Racing

Štefan "Štofi" Rosina (born 15 July 1987 in Púchov) is a Slovak racing driver racing in GT cars. He has competed successfully in the FIA GT1 World Championship and Porsche Supercup. He is the incumbent Vice Champion in the Fanatec GT2 European Series, driving for True Racing by Reiter Engineering, the KTM works sportscar effort.

Early career and domestic success

[edit]

Rosina's start in motorsport came in junior karting formulae where he was vice-champion in the Czech national championships at 13 years old. After a season in Ford Fiesta cup, at 15 years old Rosina started in the Skoda Octavia Cup one-make series (then known as the Česká Pojišťovna Škoda Octavia Cup). He was champion in 2003 and 2004. The first of his two titles was to come in the series finale in somewhat controversial circumstances. Series leader and reigning champion František Došek crashed at the start, failing to recover in the race and losing the championship.[1]

International sportscar debut and first points

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After contesting 3 races of the 2005 FIA GT Championship for Slovakian outfit ARC Bratislava, Rosina returned in 2006 for 8 races of the series. Despite DNFs in three races, the Slovak won his first points at elite level in each of his last three finishes, at Paul Ricard, Dijon and Mugello.

2007-2011 Porsche Supercup

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In 2007 Rosina entered the Porsche Supercup one-make series with the late Walter Lechner's Lechner Racing team. Supercup is a recognised training ground for future GT and DTM stars. Le Mans winner Stéphane Ortelli, triple DTM Champion Rene Rast (against whom Rosina would compete) and German touring car legend Uwe Alzen, and notable Dutch Sportscar pilot Patrick Huisman are all graduates of the series. Winning points in his rookie season, the next year the Slovak would score two podiums,[2] the second at a torrential Silverstone,[3] during which he memorably led the race from eventual winner Sean Edwards. In 2009, his third season in Supercup, Rosina would be rewarded for consistency, with no retirements and an international career best P3 in the championship, narrowly ahead of four time Supercup champion Huisman.

2010 was to be less successful, a second-place finish in the season opener in Bahrain[4] the highlight of a season that saw Rosina finish eighth in the standings.[5] A move to new team Verva Racing for 2011 yielded little more success and the young Slovak moved on.[6]

2011-2013 Lamborghini Reiter works drive

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In 2011, without a full season race seat, Rosina appeared in four rounds of the FIA GT3 European Championship, scoring an unfancied pole position at his home circuit the Slovakiaring in a guest drive for the Lamborghini customer team Leipert Engineering team, ahead of Lamborghini works entry Reiter Engineering's own entrants.[7] Despite a DNF early in the race due to a puncture, his performance was enough to earn a factory drive for Reiter the following season, as halfway through 2012 Reiter brought the Slovak to replace ex-Formula 1 and Le Mans GT class winner Tomas Enge in the FIA GT1 World Championship alongside former Formula 3000 champion and Le Mans class winner Peter Kox. The highlights of this shortened season for Rosina were a win and a podium at each of two Nurburgring races, and a fourth place and strong second at Donington.

2013 saw the Slovak compete in just six races at elite level, initially for Reiter (again partnered with Kox) and Grasser Racing, as the Lamborghini works support transferred to the latter outfit, and finish ninth overall. The high point was a win at Zolder in which Rosina defended the lead for several laps from future multiple time sportscar champion and Porsche works driver Laurens Vanthoor.[8]

Retirement and subsequent return with KTM

[edit]

In late 2013 Rosina announced his retirement from racing to focus his business career. His stated intent was to compete only regionally in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.[9] In 2020, however, he would make a surprise return in races of the experimental GTX category of the International GT Open, the 24H Series, and the DTM Trophy, netting a win and two podiums.[10] This time Rosina was competing for noted motorbike and sports car marque KTM. The car was a high power coupé version of the company's X-Bow track car adapted by Rosina's former stable Reiter Engineering, the KTM GTX Concept.[11][12][13][14]

2021-2022 European GT2 success

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2020's success in GTX was followed by a full KTM works drive in 2021 and 2022 in the Stephane Ratel-run Fanatec GT2 European Series, again partnering with Reiter Engineering under the team name True Racing. 2021 was a success, Rosina and his teammate Sehdi Sarmini taking podiums at Misano and Monza, followed by a win at Spa Francorchamps in the season closer. The latter result was particularly significant, being the first overall win for the marque in international GT racing.[15]

In 2022 the Slovak would return as a genuine contender in GT2, this time partnered with Bronze level prospect Filip Sladecka. After a forgettable start at Imola which yielded a sixth place and a retirement, the next round at the Red Bull Ring saw the pair finish first in race 1, followed by a respectable P4 in class the following day.[16] At the following meeting at Spa, however, he and countryman Sladecka dominated, with a lights to flag victory in the first race, followed by another win from a P3 grid slot in Race 2.[17] This weekend would see the pair take the series lead for the first time with two rounds to go. P3 and a win in two scrappy Valencia races saw Rosina maintain their lead with only the season finale at Paul Ricard to go.[18]

The final round of the season at Paul Ricard started positively for team mate Sladecka and Rosina, in qualifying the pair sealing P1 and P3 on the grid for Race 1 and Race 2 respectively. In the first race, however, a chaotic start saw Sladecka drop initially to third, then to ninth after leaving the track, finally recovering to fourth by the time of the mandated driver changes, a position Rosina eventually converted to P3 by the end of the race. Their title rivals Longin and Saelens took victory for 25 points, leaving the series to be decided in the final race later that day.

Race 2 would be a disappointment. A strong start from P3 moving ahead of the rival High Class Racing Audi would put the Slovak into P2, but as the Audi’s pace won out, this would slip to third. After the driver change, Rosina’s teammate Sladecka and the Audi R8 of Aurelius Rusteika made contact into the Le Beausset corner, ending Sladecka’s race and the KTM True Racing duo's hopes for the GT2 European Series title. With this, Rosina and his team-mate would have to settle for the consolation of being European Vice Champions.[19]

Business

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Educated in business management at Bratislava and Oxford Brookes, Rosina is active in business. He is a senior board member of Slovakian automotive car parts manufacturer Matador Automotive.[20]

Media work

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As Slovakia's most successful sportscar driver, Rosina often acts as colour commentator for Czech and Slovakian live broadcasts of motor racing, particularly Formula 1.[21][22]  He also starred alongside notable motorsport figures Olaf Manthey, Misha Charoudin and Walter Röhrl in 2022's music video about the Nürburgring, the TF Song (Pineapple King) by British/Austrian rock band the Heizer Monkeys.[23][24]

Personal life

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Rosina lives in Bratislava, Slovakia, and is married with two children.

Racing record

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Complete Porsche Supercup results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position – 2 points awarded 2008 onwards in all races) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos. Pts
2007 Lechner Racing School Porsche 997 GT3 BHR
12
BHR
Ret
ESP
16
MON
12
FRA
Ret
GBR
9
GER HUN
8
TUR
5
ITA
Ret
BEL
Ret
13th 42
2008 Lechner Racing Bahrain Porsche 997 GT3 BHR
23†
BHR
12
ESP
7
TUR
17
MON
10
FRA
3
GBR
3
GER
15
HUN
Ret
ESP
4
BEL
9
ITA
4
10th 89
2009 Walter Lechner Racing Porsche 997 GT3 BHR
5
BHR
10
ESP
4
MON
4
TUR
6
GBR
11
GER
2
HUN
4
ESP
6
BEL
5
ITA
4
UAE
5
UAE
8
3rd 164
2010 Lechner Racing Porsche 997 GT3 BHR
2
BHR
4
ESP
8
MON
4
ESP
6
GBR
7
GER
4
HUN
Ret
BEL
17
ITA
Ret
8th 90
2011 VERVA Racing Team Porsche 997 GT3 TUR
10
ESP
6
MON
Ret
NNS
8
GBR
7
NÜR
5
HUN
7
BEL
10
ITA
9
UAE
8
UAE
13
9th 83
2012 Förch Racing Porsche 997 GT3 BHR
Ret
BHR
10
MON ESP GBR GER HUN HUN BEL ITA 20th 6
2013 Lechner Racing Porsche 997 GT3 ESP
13
MON GBR GER HUN BEL ITA UAE UAE NC 0‡

Did not finish the race, but was classified as he completed over 90% of the race distance. Guest driver – Not eligible for points.

Complete GT1 World Championship results

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Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pos Points
2010 Phoenix Racing/Carsport Corvette C6.R ABU
QR
ABU
CR
SIL
QR
SIL
CR
BRN
QR

17
BRN
CR

8
PRI
QR
PRI
CR
SPA
QR
SPA
CR
NÜR
QR
NÜR
CR
ALG
QR
ALG
CR
NAV
QR
NAV
CR
INT
QR
INT
CR
SAN
QR
SAN
CR
40th 4
2012 Reiter Engineering Lamborghini Gallardo LP600+ GT3 NOG
QR
NOG
CR
ZOL
QR
ZOL
CR
NAV
QR
NAV
CR
SVK
QR

13
SVK
CR

11
ALG
QR

13
ALG
CR

Ret
SVK
QR

11
SVK
CR

Ret
MOS
QR
MOS
CR
NUR
QR

1
NUR
CR

3
DON
QR

4
DON
CR

2
13th 44

Complete FIA GT Series results

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Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Points
2013 Lamborghini Blancpain Reiter Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Pro NOG
QR
NOG
CR
ZOL
QR

2
ZOL
CR

1
ZAN
QR
ZAN
CR
SVK
QR

3
SVK
CR

Ret
NAV
QR

15
NAV
CR

17
9th 51
GRT Grasser Racing Team BAK
QR

21
BAK
CR

6

Complete Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup results

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Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos. Points
2014 Reiter Engineering Lamborghini Gallardo FL2 Pro NOG
QR
NOG
CR
BRH
QR

9
BRH
CR

Ret
ZAN
QR

16
ZAN
CR

7
SVK
QR

Ret
SVK
CR

DNS
ALG
QR
ALG
CR
ZOL
QR
ZOL
CR
BAK
QR
BAK
CR
24th 6
2016 GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Pro MIS
QR

Ret
MIS
CR

Ret
BRH
QR

16
BRH
CR

17
NÜR
QR

17
NÜR
CR

24
HUN
QR

13
HUN
CR

Ret
CAT
QR
CAT
CR
NC 0

Complete GT2 European Series results

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Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos. Points
2021 True Racing by Reiter Engineering KTM X-Bow GT2 Concept Pro-Am MON
QR

4
MON
CR

5
HOC
QR

Ret
HOC
CR

DNS
MIS
QR

Ret
MIS
CR

3
SPA
QR

6
SPA
CR

1
LEC
QR
LEC
CR
6th 80
2022 KTM True Racing KTM X-Bow GT2 Concept Pro-Am IMO
QR

12
IMO
CR

Ret
RBR
QR

1
RBR
CR

7
MIS
QR

2
MIS
CR

3
SPA
QR

1
SPA
CR

1
VAL
QR

4
VAL
CR

1
LEC
QR

3
LEC
QR

10†
2nd 189

References

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  1. ^ "Octavia Cup vyhrál šestnáctiletý Rosina". iDNES.cz (in Czech). 2003-09-22. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  2. ^ Magazine, Speedsport. "Porsche Supercup - 2008: Point standings". www.speedsport-magazine.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  3. ^ Magazine, Speedsport. "Race result: Porsche Supercup, Race 7 of season 2008 in Silverstone". www.speedsport-magazine.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  4. ^ "Race report for Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup round 1 at the Grand Prix of Bahrain". Porschebahn Weblog. 2010-03-13. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  5. ^ Magazine, Speedsport. "Porsche Supercup - Season 2010: Results". www.speedsport-magazine.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  6. ^ "Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup 2011 standings | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  7. ^ "FIA GT3 European Championship - Race Reports". gt3europe.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  8. ^ "Kox and Rosina take epic Zolder win for Lamborghini Blancpain reiter". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  9. ^ s.r.o, SPORT SK, s r o & Ringier Slovakia Media (25 October 2013). "Štefan Rosina sa rozhodol, končí s profesionálnou kariérou!". Šport.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 2022-10-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "The new KTM X-BOW GTX to make its sprint debut in the GT Open, at Red Bull Ring". www.gtopen.net. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  11. ^ "KTM X-Bow GTX racer revealed with 532bhp five-cylinder engine". evo. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  12. ^ "The new KTM X-BOW GTX to make its sprint debut in the GT Open, at Red Bull Ring". www.terseries.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  13. ^ "True Racing by Reiter Engineering adds fourth KTM X-BOW to GT2 field for home Red Bull Ring round". Fanatec GT2 European Series. 2022-05-18. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  14. ^ RACERS (2020-07-13). "12H Monza: Kraihamer leads before technical hiccups". Racers. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  15. ^ "Sarmini and Rosina take first GT2 victory, Ulrich seals Am title for Sportec and KTM". Fanatec GT2 European Series. 2021-07-25. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  16. ^ "True Racing KTM & LP Racing Audi Take Red Bull Ring Wins | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  17. ^ sportscarracingnews (2022-07-25). "TRUE RACING KTM DOUBLE UP AT SPA". Sportscar Racing News. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  18. ^ Racecar. "Audi-KTM GT2 European Series title fight rolls on to the last". www.racecar.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  19. ^ "Saelens & Longin seal Pro-Am title in dramatic season finale in France". Fanatec GT2 European Series. 2022-10-15. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  20. ^ "Matador je už svetový: Rodinný holding získal podiely vo fabrikách na 5 kontinentoch". Forbes (in Slovak). 2022-06-07. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  21. ^ "Komentátorský tím Formuly 1 je už známy". Omediach.com (in Slovak). Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  22. ^ "Formula 1 na Markíze a Dajto". digitalne.ellano.sk. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  23. ^ "WRC legend Walter Rohrl makes music video cameo". www.autosport.com. 16 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  24. ^ The TF Song (Pineapple King) (Music, Musical), Amain Films, 2022-03-16, retrieved 2022-10-03
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