Vitantonio Liuzzi

Vitantonio Liuzzi -- Test driver, Force India Formula One team

Date of birth: 6 August 1981
Born:  Locorotondo, Italy [Images]
Martial Status: Single

Vitantonio, or Tonio for short, Liuzzi joins Force India Formula One Team as its new test and reserve driver for its 2008 Formula One campaign. Liuzzi joins the team with three years experience in F1 following campaigns with Red Bull and Toro Rosso.

The Italian also has a rich history in the junior formulae. After success in the domestic and international karting championships, he won karting's equivalent of Formula One in 2001. That same year Liuzzi also finished second in the German Formula Renault Championship.

In 2002, Liuzzi contested the German Formula 3 Championship and established his reputation as one of the quickest drivers in the series. Three pole positions, three podiums and a dominant pole to flag victory in the San Marino International Formula 3 race at Imola displayed his true potential.

In 2003 Liuzzi contested the FIA F3000 International Championship, and again success quickly followed as he finished fourth overall. His 2003 performances earned him the lead drive with that year's championship winning team, Arden International, for the following year. Taking seven wins from a total of 10 starts, including nine pole positions, Liuzzi stormed to the championship. The Italian holds the joint all-time record for F3000 wins along with Juan Pablo Montoya [Images] and Nick Heidfeld.

For the 2005 season Liuzzi joined the newly formed Red Bull Racing team in Formula 1, and moved to sister outfit Toro Rosso in 2006, where he remained for the 2007 season.

CV:

1991:  Started Karting career
1993:  1st, Italian Karting Championship
1994:  2nd, Italian Karting Championship
1995:  Victory in Lonato Winter Cup, 2nd place World Karting Championship, 2nd place Italian Karting Championship, 5th place European Karting Championship
1996:  Graduated to Junior Intercontinental A category with Factory CRG Team Victory Lonato Winter Cup, 2nd place Margutti Trophy, Parma, 1st Italian Karting Championship
1997:  Entered senior Formula A category, 1st Brazilian Karting Prix, Sao Paulo 2nd Italian Karting Championship, 7th place Karting World Championship
1998:  Formula Super A (Karting's F1 equivalent), 3rd Overall European Karting Championship, 7th place Karting World Championship
1999:  Victory at Val D'Argenton, second Round European Karting Championship Victory Ayrton Senna Memorial Trophy (Suzuka), Formula Palmer Audi Test Drive -- Outright Fastest Lap of test
2000:  6th, Karting World Championship in Braga, Portugal 2nd, Karting World Cup (Montegi) 3rd, 125cc World Championship (Mariembourg)
2001:  FIA-CIK Karting World Champion (conducted over five events) 2nd, German Formula Renault Championship -- first car season
2002:  9th, German Formula 3 Championship Victory San Marino International Formula 3 race Tested Formula 1 -- BMW [Images] Williams F1 Team
2003:  4th, FIA F3000 International Championship
2004:   FIA F3000 International Champion
2005: 24th, Formula 1, Red Bull Racing (1 point)
2006:  19th, Formula 1, Toro Rosso (1 point)
2007: 18th, Formula 1, Toro Rosso (3 points)