15 – Tonio Liuzzi

Credit: Force India F1

Stats

• Birthday: 6th August 1981
• Nationality: Italian
• Lives: Italy
• Website: liuzzi.com

Career

Tonio’s career by year. The bracketed number is his final position at the end of the series.

• 2001 – Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup (NC), Formula Renault 2000 Germany (2nd)
• 2002 – German Formula Three (9th), Italian Formula Three (8th), European Formula Three Cup (NC), Macau Grand Prix (NC), Masters of Formula Three (8th)
• 2003 – International Formula 3000 (4th), World Series by Nissan (25th)
• 2004 – International Formula 3000 (1st)
• 2005 – Formula 1 (24th)
• 2006 – Formula 1 (19th)
• 2007 – Formula 1 (18th)
• 2008 – Formula 1 (Test driver), Speedcar Series (3rd), A1 Grand Prix (16th)
• 2009 – Formula 1 (22nd)
• 2010 – Formula 1

2010 Preview

From the F1 Digest 2010 Season Preview:

Tonio Liuzzi has been an on/off sort of driver, he shared the race seat with Christian Klien on his debut season for Red Bull. For two years, he took a sideways move to Toro Rosso but got to race full time, and then he became test driver for Force India. When Fisichella moved over to Ferrari to fill in for the injured Massa, Liuzzi got his chance behind the wheel again. He obviously impressed the bosses who have kept him on for a full season in 2010. He hasn’t exactly put in stellar performances previously, and has only four championship points to his name for the four years he’s been racing, but some do cite him as a real talent to look out for.

Starting out in karting has given Liuzzi a great base to grow from – in particular as he beat Schumacher who had returned to celebrity karts for a bit of run. Tonio has also won the Formula 3000 series, taking seven out of ten possible wins. He knows what to do to bring the points home, and Force India will be hoping he can do that for them. When it was Fisichella and Sutil at the team, Fisi was a clear number one, now it looks as though Sutil has moved up to that role, leaving Liuzzi to try and make his case for a continued role, or to try and impress one of the other teams.