Vitantonio Liuzzi

F1 driver
Name = Vitantonio Liuzzi


Caption =
Nationality = flagicon|ITA Italian
Team = Force India
Races = 39
Championships = 0
Wins = 0
Podiums = 0
Points = 5
Poles = 0
Fastest laps = 0
First race = 2005 San Marino Grand Prix
Last race = 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last season = 2007
Last position = 18th (3 pts)

Vitantonio "Tonio" Liuzzi (born 6 August 1981 [Liuzzi's year of birth is a matter of dispute. Some sources such as the FORIX Formula 1 database and www.formula1news.it [http://www.formula1news.it/drivers/liuzzi.htm] nominate it as 1980, whereas other sources such as Liuzzi's official website [http://www.liuzzi.com/] and www.f1db.com [http://www.f1db.com/f1/page/Vitantonio_Liuzzi] identify it as 1981.] in Locorotondo) is an Italian Formula One test driver for the Force India Formula One team. Having once lived in Hemel Hempstead in England where he shared an apartment with Red Bull Racing driver Christian Klien, Liuzzi now lives in Pescara, Italy.

Karting

Vitantonio Liuzzi, like most auto racing drivers, began his career at the age of 9 in kart racing (1991). Highlights of his early career include winning the 1993 Italian Karting Championship, and in 1995, taking second place in the Karting World Championship and fifth place in the European Championship. His karting career culminated when winning the Karting World Championship in 2001. In this race he managed to beat Formula One champion Michael Schumacher at Kerpen, the German's 'home' kart track. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/statistics/1624791.stm Schumi returns to kart roots] . BBC News, 28 October 2001]

Formula Renault, F3 and F3000

Liuzzi then moved on to cars; he raced in the 2001 German Formula Renault Championship, finishing second. Racing in the German Formula 3 Championship, he managed only ninth place overall. However, in that year he won the San Marino international F3 race and had test drives for the Coloni Formula 3000 team and Williams, the Formula One constructor. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/2412625.stm Italians get Williams chance] ". BBC News, 6 November 2002] Red Bull took Liuzzi on board for the 2003 F3000 season in which he finished fourth overall. He moved to the Arden team for the following F3000 season. There, he dominated, winning seven of the ten races, and taking the title with one race left. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/3608332.stm Liuzzi claims F3000 title] ". BBC News, 28 August, 2004]

Formula One

Winter 2004 Formula One speculation

Having long listed former Formula One world champions Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell as his idols, Liuzzi's form in Formula 3000 led to speculation that Ferrari might want to employ him, [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3933357.stm Ferrari 'seek Liuzzi deal'] ". BBC News, 28 July 2004] either as a test driver at their Formula One team, or at Sauber, the Formula One team that Ferrari had a close association with as its longtime engine supplier. Indeed, he had a test drive with Sauber in September, 2004, [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3621922.stm Liuzzi given Sauber chance] . BBC News, 2 September 2004] but right before that test the team announced they had hired former WDC Jacques Villeneuve to a two-year deal for their open seat. [http://xserve2.com/ns/ns13501.html - GrandPrix.com. "Sauber announces Villeneuve deal" 15 September 2004.] In November, 2004 he was given another test drive, this time with Red Bull. This led to him joining Red Bull for 2005 in January of that year. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/4145223.stm Red Bull take on Liuzzi and Klien] . BBC News, 5 January 2005]

Red Bull Racing

Initially it seemed that he might be given the race seat alongside David Coulthard, but the team favoured Christian Klien, [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/4172881.stm Red Bull name Klien second driver] . BBC News, 13 January 2005] leaving Liuzzi with the position of test driver. Despite Klien's good performances in the first three races of the season, Red Bull abided by an agreement they made with Liuzzi and Klien before the season that they would both have a chance to race. They announced that Liuzzi would replace Klien for the San Marino, Spanish and Monaco Grands Prix. Liuzzi impressed, scoring his maiden point on his debut after both BAR drivers were disqualified from the San Marino race. After the Spanish and Monaco Grands Prix he was given another race at the European Grand Prix, before his seat was handed back to Klien for the Canadian Grand Prix.

Toro Rosso

Following Red Bull's purchase of the Minardi team (renamed Scuderia Toro Rosso: "Team Red Bull" in Italian), Liuzzi was rewarded with a full-season race seat in the "B-team". [ [http://newsonf1.net/2005/news/12/dec06tr.htm Toro Rosso confirm Liuzzi and Speed] ". NewsOnF1, 6 December 2005] At the United States Grand Prix, he scored the team's first point, with an eighth place finish after a race-long battle with Coulthard and Nico Rosberg. However, that was the only point he and the team scored in F1|2006.

Liuzzi was confirmed as staying with the team for the F1|2007 season at the launch of the STR2 on February 13 2007. [cite news| title =Toro Rosso confirms Liuzzi but Speed has to wait| publisher =grandprix.com| url =http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns18035.html| date =2007-02-13| accessdate =2007-02-14] The first half of Liuzzi's season was not much better, as his races were littered by mistakes similar to his ex-team mate's. The most notable of which was at Canada where he had the opportunity to score his first points of the season. Instead, he crashed into the infamous "Wall of Champions" at the exit of the final chicane. During the season he also faced constant speculation over the safety of his seat, as the team were openly courting both Vettel and Champcar series champion Sebastian Bourdais. Team mate Scott Speed claimed that Red Bull were aiming to get rid of both himself and Liuzzi. [cite news| title =Speed says Toro Rosso want rid of him and Liuzzi| publisher =uk.reuters.com| url =http://uk.reuters.com/article/motorSportsNews/idUKL2389326620070723| date =2007-07-23| accessdate =2007-07-23] Once the announcement of Bourdais' contract for 2008 was made, Liuzzi's performances seemed to improve. After being denied a world championship point in Japan due to a post-race time penalty, he drove what many believe was the best race of his F1 career in China. After narrowly missing out on Q3 by qualifying 11th, he gained three spots at the start, and then overtook Mark Webber of the 'works' Red Bull team, as well as the BMW of Nick Heidfeld. Throughout the race he was able to keep pace with 5th-placed Jenson Button's Honda, and held off a late charge from Heidfeld to finish 6th and collect three points.Fact|date=December 2007

Force India

On the August 10, it was confirmed by Toro Rosso that Sébastien Bourdais will drive for the team next year, leaving Liuzzi currently without a seat for 2008. [cite news| title =Bourdais signs for Toro Rosso| publisher =BBC Sport| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6940058.stm| date =2007-08-10| accessdate =2007-08-10] Liuzzi's manager, former Lotus boss Peter Collins, has confirmed that Liuzzi wishes to continue his involvement in F1. [cite news| title =Liuzzi aiming to stay in F1 in 2008 | publisher =autosport.com| url =http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/61508| date =2007-08-13| accessdate =2007-08-14] He had been linked to a test drive role within Williams, which eventually went to Nico Hülkenberg [cite news| title =So what happens to Tonio Liuzzi?| publisher =grandprix.com| url =http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns19522.html| date =2007-08-14| accessdate =2007-08-14] but then secured the role of test driver for the Force India F1 team on January 10 2008. [cite news| title =Mallya confirms Fisichella at Force India| publisher =autosport.com| url =http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64588| date =2007-01-10| accessdate =2007-01-10]

Racing record

Career summary

Personal

In addition to his native Italian, Liuzzi speaks English and French. He is also known for his piercings: presently three, in his left upper ear, left eyebrow and left lower ear.

References

External links

* [http://www.liuzzi.com/ The official website for Vitantonio Liuzzi]
* [http://www.fotolog.com/vitantonioliuzzi Vitantonio Liuzzi unofficial Fotolog]
* [http://www.tonioliuzzi.org/ An unofficial fansite for Vitantonio Liuzzi]
* [http://www.liuzzifanbase.com Liuzzi Fan Base unofficial fansite]
* [http://www.f1db.com/f1/page/Vitantonio_Liuzzi Vitantonio Liuzzi profile and statistics]
* [http://force.f1network.net/ Unofficial fansite for Liuzzi and the entire Force India F1 Team]