Vitantonio Liuzzi
A karting win over world champion Michael Schumacher brought Vitantonio Liuzzi to the racing world's full attention, and helped fast-track his road to the top flight ever since. The Italian was largely just another promising kart racer before his meeting with Schumacher, starting his career at the tender age of ten, and collecting Italian junior titles and podium results on the international scene. Moving into the senior ranks, he finally earned a major honour with the 1999 European title and Ayrton Senna Trophy, but it was two years later that his career received its biggest boost.
Much had been made about Schumacher's decision to contest the 2001 world kart championship event in Germany but, in poor conditions, it was Liuzzi who stole the rest of the headlines by winning the title. His name was then the one on everybody's lips, despite having simultaneously spent a year in the German Formula Renault championship, finishing as runner-up.
Having already tested an F3 car for the Dutch van Amersfoort team in 2000, many expected Liuzzi to step straight up into the category and go quickly. Instead, the crack Bertram Schafer team, which had guided Schumacher in his formative years, provided a home for the Italian, but he was indeed quickly on the pace, taking three second places on his way to ninth overall. His speed was never in doubt, as three pole positions attested, and a maiden race win came in the non-championship outing at Imola.
Despite not being a title contender, Liuzzi's karting performances, allied to those in both Formula Renault and F3, had brought him to the attention of drinks brand Red Bull, and he was duly added to the company's roster of sponsored drivers. As a result, he was also handed a seat in F3000 with Red Bull's Junior team, which was run by Coloni Motorsport. He was also invited, along with fellow Italian Giorgio Pantano, to test with the Williams team but, while Pantano was considered a possible contender for a seat with the team, Liuzzi generally out-performed him. Neither was offered a drive, however.
His first year in the FIA F3000 series contained a series of fourth place finishes that belied his rookie status, but also frustrated Liuzzi, who was keen to break on to the podium. He appeared to have his best chance of doing so at the Hungaroring, where he qualified on pole by almost half a second – despite never having seen the track before practice – and was leading comfortably when his mandatory pit-stop – only introduced at that event – went awry. A penalty for forceful driving as he attempted to recover lost ground eventually pushed him further down the order. There wasn't another chance to run at the front, but fourth in the championship was enough to convince champions Arden International to sign him for 2004.
The move cemented his reputation as, despite a concerted effort by compatriot Enrico Toccacelo, Liuzzi romped to the title on the back of a record-equalling seven race wins.
That set him up for a crack at Formula One but, just days before he was due to test with Sauber – an outing that many believed would confirm him as part of the Swiss team's line-up for 2005 – former world champion Jacques Villeneuve inked a contract. Liuzzi continued with his test, and impressed with both his speed and feedback…
Testing opportunities were being talked about at both Williams and Ferrari, but another important decision was being taken a little further down the pit-lane that would shape Liuzzi's immediate F1 future. With Jaguar Racing ailing badly, and owners Ford about to pull the plug, Red Bull staged a last-ditch buy-out, fulfilling Dietrich Mateschitz's dream of owning his own F1 team. Liuzzi was immediately touted as one of the team's drivers, but Mateschitz took the opportunity of bringing in the experienced David Coulthard to provide some knowledge and guidance, leaving just one seat for the Italian and Jaguar incumbent Christian Klien to fight over. With both drivers already backed by Red Bull, Mateschitz decided that they should share the second seat, with Klien getting three races before Liuzzi finally made his F1 debut on home soil at Imola. Scoring the final point on offer was certainly a promising start, but he only retained the car for further three races before, Klien took over for the rest of the season.
For 2006 Vitantonio was given his chance of a full-time ride in the newly formed Toro Rosso team alongside American Scott Speed. With very restricted testing and a lack in house development not much was expected from the team except perhaps beating the other minnows. In the event Liuzzi highlighted the season for the team with a well-earned eight place at Indianapolis and with it the precious point to put the team into ninth place in the constructor standings.
Hopes for an improvement in 2007 were bouyed by the acquisition of Ferrari engines from the parent Red Bull team, but it was a fractious year in which both team drivers fell of favour in the eyes of the team bosses. Liuzzi’s uncertain position was also not helped by the stunning form of Sebastian Vettel who had replaced Scott Speed by mid-season.
Inclement weather conditions at the Chinese Grand Prix gave the Toro Rosso team the opportunity to grab points that were going begging, and Toni took a career-best sixth, two places behind Vettel. By this time however the decision had been made to hire Champ Car star Sébastien Bourdais, leaving Liuzzi frantically searching for another foothold in Formula 1. The Italian has found a role as test driver at the emerging Force India Team and could well be in line for a race seat in the future.
