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Vitantonio Liuzzi
Nationality	Italian
Car #	—
Current team	Force India
Formula One World Championship career
Races	39
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podium finishes	0
Pole positions	0
Career points	5
Fastest laps	0
First race	2005 San Marino Grand Prix
Latest race	2007 Brazilian Grand Prix
2007 position	18th (3 pts)

Vitantonio "Tonio" Liuzzi (born 6 August 1981^[1] 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.^[2]

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.^[3] 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.^[4]

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,^[5] 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,^[6] but right before that test the team announced they had hired former WDC Jacques Villeneuve to a two-year deal for their open seat.^[7] 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.^[8]

Red Bull Racing

Liuzzi driving the third Red Bull Racing car during practice for the 2005 British Grand Prix.

Initially it seemed that he might be given the race seat alongside David Coulthard, but the team favoured Christian Klien,^[9] 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

Liuzzi driving the Toro Rosso STR1 during the 2006 Canadian Grand Prix.

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".^[10] 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 2006.

Liuzzi driving for STR at the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Liuzzi was confirmed as staying with the team for the 2007 season at the launch of the STR2 on February 13, 2007.^[11] 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.^[12]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.^{citation needed}

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.^[13] Liuzzi's manager, former Lotus boss Peter Collins, has confirmed that Liuzzi wishes to continue his involvement in F1.^[14] He had been linked to a test drive role within Williams, which eventually went to Nico Hülkenberg^[15] but then secured the role of test driver for the Force India F1 team on January 10, 2008.^[16]

Racing record

Career summary

Complete Formula 3000 results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Complete Formula One results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicates fastest lap)

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

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Vitantonio Liuzzi

• The official website for Vitantonio Liuzzi
• Vitantonio Liuzzi unofficial Fotolog
• An unofficial fansite for Vitantonio Liuzzi
• Liuzzi Fan Base unofficial fansite
• Vitantonio Liuzzi profile and statistics
• Unofficial fansite for Liuzzi and the entire Force India F1 Team

v • d • e Force India Personnel: Vijay Mallya | Michiel Mol | Colin Kolles | Mike Gascoyne | James Key Current drivers: Giancarlo Fisichella | Adrian Sutil | Vitantonio Liuzzi | Roldán Rodríguez | Giedo van der Garde Formula One cars: VJM01