Vitantonio Liuzzi
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person
Vitantonio "Tonio" Liuzzi (born 6 August 1980)Template:Efn is an Italian former racing driver who competed in Formula One from Template:F1 to Template:F1.
Born and raised in Bari, Liuzzi began competitive kart racing aged nine. After a successful karting career—culminating in his victory at the direct-drive Karting World Championship in 2001—Liuzzi graduated to junior formulae. He won his first title at the 2004 International Formula 3000 Championship with Arden. Liuzzi competed in Formula One for Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Force India and HRT, scoring 26 championship points across six seasons.
KartingEdit
Born in Locorotondo, Bari, Apulia, Liuzzi, like many auto racing drivers, began his career in kart racing (at age 9). He won the 1993 Italian Karting Championship, and in 1995 took second in the Karting World Championship and placed fifth in the European Championship. He won the Karting World Championship in 2001. He beat Formula One champion Michael Schumacher at Kerpen, Schumacher's 'home' track.<ref>Schumi returns to kart roots. BBC News, 28 October 2001</ref>
Formula Renault, F3 and F3000Edit
Liuzzi then moved to cars, finishing second in the 2001 German Formula Renault Championship. Racing in the German Formula Three Championship, in 2002, he joined the Red Bull Junior Team, finishing in ninth place. That same year he won the Imola International F3 race and had test drives for the Coloni Formula 3000 team and Williams, the Formula One constructor.<ref>Italians get Williams chance". BBC News, 6 November 2002</ref> Red Bull hired Liuzzi for the 2003 F3000 season, in which he finished fourth. He moved to the Arden team for the following F3000 season and won seven of the ten races, securing the title with one race left.<ref>Liuzzi claims F3000 title". BBC News, 28 August 2004</ref>
Formula One (2005–2012)Edit
Winter 2004 Formula One speculationEdit
Liuzzi's performance in Formula 3000 led to speculation that Ferrari might employ him,<ref>Ferrari 'seek Liuzzi deal'". BBC News, 28 July 2004</ref> 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. He did have a test drive with Sauber in September 2004,<ref>Liuzzi given Sauber chance. BBC News, 2 September 2004</ref> but shortly before he tested they announced they had signed former World Champion Jacques Villeneuve to a two-year contract.<ref>http://xserve2.com/ns/ns13501.html –Template:Dead link GrandPrix.com. "Sauber announces Villeneuve deal" 15 September 2004.</ref> In November 2004 Liuzzi was given a test drive by Red Bull, who hired him for 2005 in January.<ref>Red Bull take on Liuzzi and Klien. BBC News, 5 January 2005</ref>
Red Bull (2005)Edit
Initially it seemed that he might be given the seat along with David Coulthard, but Red Bull chose Christian Klien,<ref>Red Bull name Klien second driver. BBC News, 13 January 2005</ref> leaving Liuzzi as the test driver. Despite good performances by Klien in the first three races, Red Bull abided by an agreement they made before the season that both he and Klien would be able to race. Liuzzi would replace Klien for the San Marino, Spanish and Monaco Grands Prix. Liuzzi scored his maiden point on his debut after both BAR drivers were disqualified at San Marino. Following the Spanish Grand Prix and Monaco, he was given one more race at the European Grand Prix, before his seat was returned to Klien for the Canadian Grand Prix.
Toro Rosso (2006–2007)Edit
Following Red Bull's purchase of the Minardi team – thereafter renamed Scuderia Toro Rosso, Italian for Team Red Bull – Liuzzi was rewarded with a full-season seat in the "B-team".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At the 2006 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 the team would score in Template:F1.
Liuzzi was confirmed with the team for the Template:F1 season at the launch of the STR2 on 13 February 2007.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Unfortunately, during the first half of his season his races were plagued by mistakes similar to his former teammate's. He seemed likely to score his first points of the season at Canada, but instead he crashed into the infamous "Wall of Champions" at the exit of the final chicane. He also faced constant speculation over keeping his seat, as the team openly courted both Sebastian Vettel and Champcar series champion Sébastien Bourdais. His teammate Scott Speed claimed Red Bull wanted to replace both himself and Liuzzi.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Once Bourdais' contract for 2008 was announced, Liuzzi's performances improved. After being denied a world championship point in Japan by a post-race time penalty, he drove what many consider the best race of his Formula One career in China. Narrowly missing out on Q3 by qualifying 11th, he gained three places at the start, then overtook Mark Webber of the 'works' Red Bull team, as well as the BMW of Nick Heidfeld. Throughout the race he kept pace with 5th-placed Jenson Button's Honda, and held off a late charge from Heidfeld to finish 6th and collect three points.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Force India (2008–2010)Edit
On 10 August 2007 Toro Rosso confirmed that Sébastien Bourdais would drive for them in 2008, leaving Liuzzi without a seat.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Liuzzi's manager, former Lotus boss Peter Collins, confirmed that Liuzzi wished to continue his involvement in F1.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He had been linked to a test drive role with Williams, but it eventually went to Nico Hülkenberg.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He then secured the role of test driver for the Force India F1 team on 10 January 2008.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Liuzzi stated he hoped to move up to a race seat in Template:F1 as he is contracted until Template:F1, but the contracts of his teammates Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella would not expire until the end of Template:F1.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On 3 September 2009, Force India released Fisichella so he could replace Luca Badoer at Ferrari, who had filled in for two races for injured driver Felipe Massa. On 7 September 2009, Force India announced that Liuzzi would drive for them in the remaining five races of the 2009 Formula One season. He made his race debut for Force India at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix and qualified an impressive seventh, given the fact he started the race with a heavier fuel load than his younger teammate Sutil. He was running solidly in the points, before retiring after 22 laps with a transmission problem.
On 27 November 2009 Force India announced that it kept Adrian Sutil and Liuzzi as drivers for 2010.
Liuzzi achieved his first-points scoring finish since the 2007 Chinese Grand Prix in the season-opening 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix. He finished ninth in the race, picking up two points due to the introduction of a new points system in Formula One in 2010. At the following round in Australia, he finished seventh in changeable weather conditions collecting a further six points. In Monaco Liuzzi finished ninth, scoring another two points for Force India. At the Template:F1 GP, Liuzzi qualified in a career-best sixth, which improved to fifth after Mark Webber's gearbox change. In the race, Liuzzi finished ninth after tangling with Felipe Massa at the first corner. He scored another point at Spa-Francorchamps, after Jaime Alguersuari was penalised post-race for gaining an advantage from cutting the Bus Stop chicane in the closing laps. He matched his career best finish of sixth at the Template:F1 GP, and eventually finished 15th in the championship with 21 points, a career best.
Although he had a valid contract with Force India for Template:F1, Liuzzi was replaced by Paul di Resta.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
HRT (2011–2012)Edit
Liuzzi was considered as a possible replacement for Robert Kubica at Lotus Renault GP for the 2011 season, after Kubica sustained life-threatening injuries in a rally crash in Italy on 8 February.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, despite rumours suggesting that Kubica wanted Liuzzi to be his replacement,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the team opted to employ Nick Heidfeld to fill the role instead.
Subsequently, Liuzzi was announced that he would be testing for Hispania Racing at Circuit de Catalunya, as the Spanish team evaluated him for their second race seat alongside Narain Karthikeyan.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Liuzzi was confirmed in this role on 9 March 2011.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He did not qualify for the Template:F1 GP and retired in Malaysia after the team withdrew him for safety reasons.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He recorded his first finishes with the team with a pair of 22nd-place finishes in China and Turkey but retired in Spain with a gearbox issue. He took a 16th-place finish in Monaco, and a 13th place in Canada, Hispania's best finish to date. After a 23rd-place finish at Valencia and an 18th at the Template:F1 GP, he failed to finish in Germany with electrical problems. Liuzzi finished as the final classified finisher in Hungary (20th), and Belgium (19th), before a first-lap retirement in Italy after contact with Heikki Kovalainen. As a result of the contact, Liuzzi slid across the grass and directly into Vitaly Petrov and Nico Rosberg. He finished as the final classified finisher in Singapore (20th), Japan (23rd) and Korea (21st).
For the Template:F1 GP, he was replaced by Narain Karthikeyan, who took a race seat in front of his home fans alongside Daniel Ricciardo. Liuzzi returned to his race seat in Abu Dhabi however, and again finished as the final classified finisher, in twentieth place. In the final race at Brazil, he qualified 21st ahead of his teammate Ricciardo and both of the Virgin cars and was running ahead of Ricciardo in the race when he was forced to retire from the race due to an alternator failure on lap 61.
Liuzzi stated in January 2012 that, while he had a contract to continue with the team in Template:F1, his position within the team was uncertain.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In February 2012 it was announced that Narain Karthikeyan had been handed the final race seat; leaving Liuzzi without a drive.
Superstars Series (2012–2013)Edit
Without a drive in Formula One, Liuzzi looked for other racing options. He eventually joined the International Superstars Series for the 2012 season, driving for CAAL Racing in a Mercedes C63 AMG.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref> He took his first podium finish at the first race during the first round in Monza, and he took his first win of the season during the second race of that round.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Super GT and Super Formula (2014)Edit
Template:Multiple image In 2014, Liuzzi moved to Japan and competed in Super GT (GT500 class) and Super Formula. In his first season of Super GT, he drove for the Autobacs Racing Team Aguri (ARTA) team along with Kosuke Matsuura.
Personal lifeEdit
In addition to his native Italian, Liuzzi speaks English and French. He was previously known for his piercings in his left upper ear, left eyebrow and left lower ear. He is married to Francesca Caldarelli which made Liuzzi a brother-in-law of Andrea Caldarelli.
In 2013, Liuzzi and Johnny Herbert mentored six contestants in a primetime ITV4 reality series, with the aim of taking players of the Gran Turismo videogames to the Dubai 24 Hour race as real drivers.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Other countries in Europe had heats mentored by Sébastien Buemi.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Racing recordEdit
Career summaryEdit
† As Liuzzi was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.
Complete Formula Renault 2000 Germany resultsEdit
(key)
Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | GM Motorsport | OSC1 Template:Small |
LAU1 Template:Small |
SAL Template:Small |
NÜR1 Template:Small |
LAU2 Template:Small |
HOC Template:Small |
NÜR2 Template:Small |
OSC2 Template:Small |
3rd | 139 |
Complete German Formula Three Championship resultsEdit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | Opel Team BSR | Dallara F302 | Opel | HOC1 1 Template:Small |
HOC1 2 Template:Small |
NÜR1 1 Template:Small |
NÜR1 2 Template:Small |
SAC 1 Template:Small |
SAC 2 Template:Small |
NOR 1 Template:Small |
NOR 2 Template:Small |
LAU 1 Template:Small |
LAU 2 Template:Small |
HOC2 1 Template:Small |
HOC2 2 Template:Small |
NÜR2 1 Template:Small |
NÜR2 2 Template:Small |
A1R 1 Template:Small |
A1R 2 Template:Small |
ZAN 1 Template:Small |
ZAN 2 Template:Small |
HOC3 1 Template:Small |
HOC3 2 Template:Small |
9th | 25 |
Complete International Formula 3000 resultsEdit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2003 | Red Bull Junior Team F3000 | IMO Template:Small |
CAT Template:Small |
A1R Template:Small |
MON Template:Small |
NÜR Template:Small |
MAG Template:Small |
SIL Template:Small |
HOC Template:Small |
HUN Template:Small |
MNZ Template:Small |
4th | 39 |
2004 | Arden International | IMO Template:Small |
CAT Template:Small |
MON Template:Small |
NÜR Template:Small |
MAG Template:Small |
SIL Template:Small |
HOC Template:Small |
HUN Template:Small |
SPA Template:Small |
MNZ Template:Small |
1st | 86 |
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Complete Formula One resultsEdit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
† Driver did not finish the Grand Prix, but was classified as he completed over 90% of the race distance.
Complete A1 Grand Prix resultsEdit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | DC | Points | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2008–09 | Italy | NED SPR |
NED FEA |
CHN SPR |
CHN FEA |
MYS SPR |
MYS FEA |
NZL SPR |
NZL FEA |
RSA SPR |
RSA FEA |
POR SPR Template:Small |
POR FEA Template:Small |
GBR SPR Template:Small |
GBR SPR Template:Small |
16th | 17 | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
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Complete Speedcar Series resultsEdit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Pos | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2008–09 | Union Properties | DUB 1 Template:Small |
DUB 2 Template:Small |
BHR 1 Template:Small |
BHR 2 Template:Small |
LOS 1 Template:Small |
LOS 2 Template:Small |
DUB 1 Template:Small |
DUB 2 Template:Small |
BHR 1 Template:Small |
BHR 2 Template:Small |
3rd | 45 |
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Complete V8 Supercar resultsEdit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | Pos | Points | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | Tony D'Alberto Racing | Ford FG Falcon | YMC R1 |
YMC R2 |
ADE R3 |
ADE R4 |
HAM R5 |
HAM R6 |
BAR R7 |
BAR R8 |
BAR R9 |
WIN R10 |
WIN R11 |
HID R12 |
HID R13 |
TOW R14 |
TOW R15 |
QLD R16 |
QLD R17 |
QLD R18 |
PHI Q |
PHI R19 |
BAT R20 |
SUR R21 Template:Small |
SUR R22 Template:Small |
SYM R23 |
SYM R24 |
SAN R25 |
SAN R26 |
SYD R27 |
SYD R28 |
78th | 48 | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | ||
2012 | Tony D'Alberto Racing | Ford FG Falcon | ADE R1 |
ADE R2 |
SYM R3 |
SYM R4 |
HAM R5 |
HAM R6 |
BAR R7 |
BAR R8 |
BAR R9 |
PHI R10 |
PHI R11 |
HID R12 |
HID R13 |
TOW R14 |
TOW R15 |
QLD R16 |
QLD R17 |
SMP R18 |
SMP R19 |
SAN Q |
SAN R20 |
BAT R21 |
SUR R22 Template:Small |
SUR R23 Template:Small |
YMC R24 |
YMC R25 |
YMC R26 |
WIN R27 |
WIN R28 |
SYD R29 |
SYD R30 |
NC | 0+ | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
+ Not Eligible for points
Complete International Superstars Series resultsEdit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | DC | Points | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | CAAL Racing | Mercedes C63 AMG | MNZ 1 Template:Small |
MNZ 2 Template:Small |
IMO 1 Template:Small |
IMO 2 Template:Small |
DON 1 Template:Small |
DON 2 Template:Small |
MUG 1 Template:Small |
MUG 2 Template:Small |
HUN 1 Template:Small |
HUN 2 Template:Small |
SPA 1 Template:Small |
SPA 2 Template:Small |
VAL 1 Template:Small |
VAL 2 Template:Small |
PER 1 Template:Small |
PER 2 Template:Small |
2nd | 181 | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
2013 | Mercedes-AMG Romeo Ferraris | Mercedes C63 AMG | MNZ 1 Template:Small |
MNZ 2 Template:Small |
BRN 1 Template:Small |
BRN 2 Template:Small |
SVK 1 Template:Small |
SVK 2 Template:Small |
ZOL 1 Template:Small |
ZOL 2 Template:Small |
ALG 1 Template:Small |
ALG 2 Template:Small |
DON 1 Template:Small |
DON 2 Template:Small |
IMO 1 Template:Small |
IMO 2 Template:Small |
VAL 1 Template:Small |
VAL 2 Template:Small |
3rd | 181 | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Complete FIA World Endurance Championship resultsEdit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
Year | Entrant | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Rank | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Lotus | LMP2 | Lola B12/80 | Lotus 3.6 L V8 | SEB | SPA | LMS | SIL Template:Small |
SÃO Template:Small |
BHR Template:Small |
FUJ Template:Small |
SHA | 59th | 3 |
2013 | Lotus | LMP2 | Lotus T128 | Praga Judd 3.6 L V8 | SIL Template:Small |
SPA Template:Small |
LMS | SÃO | COA Template:Small |
FUJ Template:Small |
SHA Template:Small |
BHR Template:Small |
25th | 8 |
2015 | Team ByKolles | LMP1 | CLM P1/01 | AER P60 Turbo V6 | SIL Template:Small |
SPA Template:Small |
LMS | NÜR | COA | FUJ | SHA | BHR | NC | 0 |
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Complete Super GT resultsEdit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Autobacs Racing Team Aguri | Honda NSX-GT | GT500 | OKA Template:Small |
FUJ Template:Small |
AUT Template:Small |
SUG Template:Small |
FUJ Template:Small |
SUZ Template:Small |
BUR Template:Small |
MOT Template:Small |
16th | 14 |
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Complete Super Formula resultsEdit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | HP Real Racing | Honda | SUZ Template:Small |
FUJ Template:Small |
FUJ Template:Small |
FUJ Template:Small |
MOT Template:Small |
AUT Template:Small |
SUG Template:Small |
SUZ Template:Small |
SUZ Template:Small |
16th | 1.5 |
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Complete Formula E resultsEdit
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | Chassis | Powertrain | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Pos | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014–15 | Trulli Formula E Team | Spark SRT01-e | SRT01-e | BEI | PUT | PDE | BUE | MIA Template:Small |
LBH Template:Small |
MCO Template:Small |
BER Template:Small |
MSC Template:Small |
LDN | LDN | 23rd | 2 |
2015–16 | Trulli Formula E Team | Spark SRT01-e | Motomatica JT-01 | BEI Template:Small |
PUT Template:Small |
PDE | BUE | MEX | LBH | PAR | BER | LDN | LDN | NC | 0 | |
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NotesEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
Template:S-start Template:S-sports Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:S-end
Template:Trulli GP Template:STR Template:Force India F1 Template:Hispania Racing F1 Team Template:Formula One drivers from Italy