Vitantonio Liuzzi
| 220px | |
| Vitantonio Liuzzi | |
|---|---|
| Nationality: |  Italian
|
| Car number: | 20 |
| Team: | Toro Rosso |
| Races: | 19 |
| Championships: | 0 |
| Wins: | 0 |
| Podiums: | 0 |
| Poles: | 0 |
| Fastest laps: | 0 |
| First race: | 2005 San Marino Grand Prix |
| Last race: | 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix |
| Last season: | 2006 |
| Last position: | 19th (1 pt) |
Vitantonio Liuzzi (born 6 August 1981 in Locorotondo) is an Italian Formula One driver, who drives for Scuderia Toro Rosso.
Karting
Liuzzi was born in Locorotondo, Italy, and like most auto racing drivers, began his career in kart racing in 1991. Highlights of his early career include winning the 1993 Italian Karting Championship, and in 1995, taking second place in the World Karting Championship and fifth place in the European Karting Championship. His karting career culminated in winning the 2001 World Karting Championship, beating Formula One champion Michael Schumacher in one race.
Formula Renault, Three and 3000
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 Formula 3 race and had test drives for the Coloni Formula 3000 team and Williams, the Formula One constructor. Coloni took Liuzzi on board for the 2003 Formula 3000 season in which he finished fourth overall. He moved to the Arden team for the following Formula 3000 season. There, he dominated, winning seven of the ten races, and taking the title with one race left.
Formula One
Liuzzi's form in Formula 3000 led to speculation that Ferrari might want to employ him, either as a test driver at their Formula One team, or at Sauber, the Formula One team with whom they are closely associated. Indeed, he had a test drive with Sauber in September, 2004, but ultimately lost out on a race seat to Jacques Villeneuve. In November, 2004 he was given another test drive, this time with Red Bull. This led to him joining Red Bull for 2005. Initially it seemed that he might be given the race seat alongside David Coulthard, but the team favoured Christian Klien, 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.
Following Red Bull's purchase of the Minardi team (renamed Scuderia Toro Rosso or Team Red Bull in Italian), Liuzzi was rewarded with a race seat in the 'B-team.' At the United States Grand Prix, he scored the team's first, and so far only point, with an eighth place finish after a race-long battle with Coulthard and Nico Rosberg.
Complete Formula One results
| Yr | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Team | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Red Bull | AUS TD |
MAL TD |
BAH TD |
SAN 8 |
SPA Ret |
MON Ret |
EUR 9 |
CAN DNP |
USA DNP |
FRA TD |
GBR TD |
GER TD |
HUN TD |
TUR TD |
ITA TD |
BEL TD |
BRA TD |
JAP TD |
CHI TD |
Red Bull | 24th | 1 |
| 2006 | Toro Rosso | BAH 11 |
MAL 11 |
AUS Ret |
SAN 14 |
EUR Ret |
SPA 15 |
MON 10 |
GBR 13 |
CAN 13 |
USA 8 |
FRA 13 |
DEU 10 |
HUN Ret |
TUR Ret |
ITA 14 |
CHN 10 |
JPN 14 |
BRA 16 |
Toro Rosso | 19th | 1 |
| Before: | Björn Wirdheim |
| Title: | International Formula 3000 Champion |
| Years: | 2004 |
| After: | 2005 GP2 champion was Nico Rosberg |
Personal
- Liuzzi lives in Pescara, Italy.
- Previously lived in Hemel Hempstead, England where he shared an apartment with Red Bull Racing driver Christian Klien.
- He lists Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell as his idols. Template:Fact
- Liuzzi has three piercings his left upper ear, left eyebrow and left lower ear.
- His manager is the former Lotus boss Peter Collins.
References
- "Toro Rosso confirm Liuzzi and Speed". NewsOnF1, 06 December 2005.
- "Ferrari 'seek Liuzzi deal'". BBC News, 28 July 2004.
- "Italians get Williams chance". BBC News, 6 November 2002.
- "Liuzzi claims F3000 title". BBC News, 28 August, 2004.
- "Liuzzi given Red Bull Racing test". BBC News, 18 November 2004.
- Liuzzi given Sauber chance. BBC News, 2 September 2004.
- Red Bull name Klien second driver. BBC News, 13 January 2005.
- Red Bull take on Liuzzi and Klien. BBC News, 5 January 2005.
- Schumi returns to kart roots. BBC News, 28 October 2001.