Vitantonio Liuzzi

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Born in Locorotondo, Bari, Apulia, Liuzzi began his career in kart racing at the age of nine. 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. 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. 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. Liuzzi's performance in Formula 3000 led to speculation that Ferrari might employ him. He did have a test drive with Sauber in September 2004, but shortly before he tested they announced they had signed Jacques Villeneuve. In November 2004, Liuzzi was given a test drive by Red Bull, who hired him for 2005 in January. Initially it seemed that he might be given the seat along with David Coulthard, but Red Bull chose Christian Klien, leaving Liuzzi as the test driver. Despite good performances by Klien in the first three races, Red Bull abided by an agreement 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. Following Red Bull's purchase of the Minardi team – thereafter renamed Scuderia Toro Rosso – Liuzzi was rewarded with a full-season seat. 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 2006. Liuzzi was confirmed with the team for the 2007 season at the launch of the STR2 on 13 February 2007. During the first half of his season his races were plagued by mis

In Their Own Story

Liuzzi was confirmed with Toro Rosso for the 2007 season at the launch of the STR2 on 13 February 2007. During the first half of the season his races were plagued by mistakes; he seemed likely to score his first points at Canada but crashed into the 'Wall of Champions' at the exit of the final chicane. He faced constant speculation over his seat as the team courted Sebastian Vettel and Sébastien Bourdais. Once Bourdais' contract for 2008 was announced, Liuzzi's performances improved. After being denied a 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 Q3 by qualifying 11th, he gained three places at the start, overtook Mark Webber of the 'works' Red Bull team and Nick Heidfeld's BMW, kept pace with fifth-placed Jenson Button's Honda, and held off a late charge from Heidfeld to finish sixth and collect three points.

Reader's Guide

Vitantonio Liuzzi is a former Formula One driver who raced for Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Force India, and HRT. He won the 2004 International Formula 3000 Championship and scored 26 championship points in F1. His best championship finish was 15th in 2010 with 21 points.

Did You Know?

• Liuzzi won the 2001 Karting World Championship and beat Michael Schumacher at Kerpen, Schumacher's home track.
• He scored Toro Rosso's first Formula One point at the 2006 United States Grand Prix with an eighth-place finish.
• Liuzzi's 13th-place finish at the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix was Hispania's best finish to date.
• He matched his career-best finish of sixth at the 2010 Korean Grand Prix.