
Vitantonio Liuzzi (born on 6 August 1980 in Locorotondo, Bari, Italy) is a former Italian racing driver who competed in Formula 1 between 2005 and 2011 and later remained involved both in endurance racing and in institutional roles within the FIA. His career is characterised by strong results in junior formulae and a long-standing presence in the paddock even after retiring from racing.
After starting in karting, where he achieved international success, Liuzzi moved to single-seaters in the early 2000s. In 2001 he won the Italian Formula Renault Championship, while in 2004 he reached the peak of the junior categories by winning the International Formula 3000 title with Arden International, a result that propelled him towards Formula 1.
His Formula 1 debut came in 2005 with Red Bull, sharing the seat with Christian Klien during the season. In 2006 he remained with the team as third driver, carrying out development and testing duties. In 2007 he moved to Toro Rosso as a race driver, initially alongside Scott Speed and later Sebastian Vettel, achieving his best result with eighth place at the Chinese Grand Prix.
In 2009 he joined Force India, first as reserve driver and then as a race driver from mid-season. With the Anglo-Indian team he achieved the best result of his Formula 1 career, finishing fifth at the 2010 South Korean Grand Prix and contributing significantly to the team’s points tally. He remained with Force India until the end of the 2010 season.
In 2011 he contested his final Formula 1 season with HRT, in a very challenging technical environment. He completed the season by regularly taking part in races and concluded his F1 career with 80 Grands Prix and 26 championship points.
After leaving Formula 1, Liuzzi continued racing in endurance events, competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in LMP2, as well as in GT competitions. In parallel, he embarked on an institutional path: from the second half of the 2010s he assumed an official role within the FIA as a driver steward, being appointed at various Formula 1 Grands Prix and other international events as part of the stewards’ panel.
This technical and regulatory role has brought him back into the paddock on a permanent basis, where he applies the experience gained as a driver to incident analysis and the application of sporting regulations.
| Year | Team | Chassis | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Force India | VJM03 | 21 |
| 2007 | Toro Rosso | STR2 | 3 |
| 2006 | Toro Rosso | STR01 | 1 |
| 2005 | Red Bull | RB1 | 1 |
| Year | Team | Teammate | Win | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Hispania Racing F1 Team (F111) | Karthikeyan N. | 7 VS 1 | |
| 2010 | Force India F1 Team (VJM03) | Sutil A. | 3 VS 16 | |
| 2009 | Force India F1 Team (VJM02) | Sutil A. | 1 VS 4 | |
| 2007 | Scuderia Toro Rosso (STR2) | Vettel S. | 2 VS 3 | |
| 2006 | Scuderia Toro Rosso (STR01) | Speed S. | 11 VS 7 | |
| Total | 24 VS 31 | |||
| Grand Prix | Team | Chassis | Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Korean GP 2010 | Force India F1 Team | VJM03 | 6 |
| Belgian GP 2010 | Force India F1 Team | VJM03 | 10 |
| Canadian GP 2010 | Force India F1 Team | VJM03 | 9 |
| Monaco GP 2010 | Force India F1 Team | VJM03 | 9 |
| Australian GP 2010 | Force India F1 Team | VJM03 | 7 |
| Bahrain GP 2010 | Force India F1 Team | VJM03 | 9 |
| Chinese GP 2007 | Scuderia Toro Rosso | STR2 | 6 |
| Japanese GP 2007 | Scuderia Toro Rosso | STR2 | 9 |
| Chinese GP 2006 | Scuderia Toro Rosso | STR01 | 10 |
| German GP 2006 | Scuderia Toro Rosso | STR01 | 10 |
| United States GP 2006 | Scuderia Toro Rosso | STR01 | 8 |
| Monaco GP 2006 | Scuderia Toro Rosso | STR01 | 10 |
| European GP 2005 | Red Bull Racing | RB1 | 9 |
| San Marino GP 2005 | Red Bull Racing | RB1 | 8 |