Vitantonio Liuzzi

 
Tonio Liuzzi has been Force India's test and reserve driver since the start of the 2008 season. His last test in the VJM02 was on Thursday 3 September at Kemble airfield when he conducted an aero test with the Monza downforce configuration.  |  Tonio's last F1 race was the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix with Toro Rosso. To date he has contested 39 Grands Prix, with a career-best result of sixth coming in the rain-lashed 2007 Chinese Grand Prix.  |  Tonio made his F1 debut in 2005 at the San Marino Grand Prix with Red Bull Racing. He scored a point on this debut although competed in just three more races that year before making a permanent switch to Toro Rosso in 2006, where he remained for the 2007 season.  |  Tonio holds the joint record for the most F3000 wins in one season; seven out of a possible ten in 2004, his championship-winning year. The Italian holds the record with Juan Pablo Montoya and Nick Heidfeld.  |  Tonio has also held the FIA-CIK World Karting Championship title, which he won in 2001.

FACTFILE

Name: Vitantonio Liuzzi
DOB: Aug 6 1981
Place Of Birth: Locorotondo
Nationality: Italian
Most Races For: Toro Rosso - 35
No. Of Races: 57
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  • PROFILE
  • MILESTONES
PROFILE
Vitantonio Liuzzi

2010 really does appear to be the year of resurrected F1 careers, and with a race seat at Force India, Liuzzi is one of those drivers who is getting a second chance.

When Vitantonio Liuzzi was on the F1 radar, he was tipped for a drive at either Ferrari, or Sauber, the team that Ferrari supplied engines for. However, he was snapped up by the Red Bull Racing team as test driver, and even given a chance to race in three races that year. The Italian impressed, scoring a point on his race debut at the 2005 San Marino GP. The following year, he found himself behind the wheel of a Scuderia Toro Rosso, and had the honour of taking the first (and only) point for the team that year. But his many mistakes the following year meant that by end-2007, Liuzzi’s run at Toro Rosso was over.

Since then, he’s been biding his time as test and reserve driver for the Force India team. At the 2009 Italian GP, he filled in for Giancarlo Fisichella. With that opportunity, he’d done enough to earn his second chance.

He managed points in half of the first eight races this year, before settling for results outside the top ten in the following four. It remains to be seen whether he can capitalise as the season ends.


  • YEARS
  • TEAMS
  • ENGINES
  • GPs
  • CIRCUITS
STATISTICS
YEARS
YearTeamClaGPs WinsPolesPods FLsPts
2005Red Bull24th400001
2006Toro Rosso19th1800001
2007Toro Rosso18th1700003
2009Force India22nd500000
2010Force India14th13000013
Total 57000018

Vitantonio Liuzzi - HEAD TO HEAD (TEAM-MATES)

Vitantonio Liuzzi - Season Performance

According to stats...

  • Tonio Liuzzi has been Force India's test and reserve driver since the start of the 2008 season. His last test in the VJM02 was on Thursday 3 September at Kemble airfield when he conducted an aero test with the Monza downforce configuration.
  • Tonio's last F1 race was the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix with Toro Rosso. To date he has contested 39 Grands Prix, with a career-best result of sixth coming in the rain-lashed 2007 Chinese Grand Prix.
  • Tonio made his F1 debut in 2005 at the San Marino Grand Prix with Red Bull Racing. He scored a point on this debut although competed in just three more races that year before making a permanent switch to Toro Rosso in 2006, where he remained for the 2007 season.
  • Tonio holds the joint record for the most F3000 wins in one season; seven out of a possible ten in 2004, his championship-winning year. The Italian holds the record with Juan Pablo Montoya and Nick Heidfeld.
  • Tonio has also held the FIA-CIK World Karting Championship title, which he won in 2001.

QUOTES ON VITANTONIO LIUZZI

He understood that I was much, much faster, we had a little contact but at the end of the day it worked.
- Liuzzi on overtaking Michael Schumacher in the 2010 Canadian GP

OTHER DRIVERS

Most successful drivers to have raced with Vitantonio Liuzzi