Vitantonio Liuzzi to test for HRT

2011 F1 season

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Jose Ramon Carabante, Vitantonio Liuzzi, HRT, 2011

Vitantonio Liuzzi will get back behind the wheel of an F1 car for the first time since leaving Force India tomorrow.

The Italian driver will test for HRT in Barcelona, the team confirmed.

team principal Colin Kolles saidL “As I always said our target is to get the best possible package.

“Tonio is a strong contender for the second seat given that he has a lot of experience in Formula One. We hope his comments and feedback will help the team to progress in the right direction”.

Liuzzi added: "Hispania Racing is a team with potential that can grow in the future and could have a good package for the season with the new car.

“There is still a lot to do because we are starting tomorrow with the first test, but there will be a lot to come. I am sure it will be a good day and I am looking forward to the next step”.

HRT have the only vacant seat for the 2011 F1 season, alongside Narain Karthikeyan.

A spokesperson added: “Every driver that we test is being evaluated for a race seat.” Karthikeyan was the only person to drive for the team in Valencia.

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    42 comments on “Vitantonio Liuzzi to test for HRT”

    1. Best option they both have I guess…

    2. Looks like Liuzzi is looking forward to it. At least he will know, how the team operates and he will have seen something from Narain driving.

      But without even having seen the new car, I guess it is hard to say weather this is a good road for Liuzzi. Going with a team with very little ressources and experience, no factory and no solid development team, what will it do for his career?

      And how much cash will he have to bring to the table?

      I would love it if Wills actually brings a solid car to the track at the first race (still some time then, what with not going to Bahrain) and we see Liuzzi finally showing why he was hot material in the feeder series. But don’t count on it.

      1. His career was dead anyway so he doesn’t have to worry if HRT is bad for his career. It can only be for the best.

      2. Agree with Solo. Liuzzi was not going to get a drive from any of the other teams, so why not join HRT? And finally have a season where you are kicking your teammate’s behind.

        1. But what if the indian guy pulls a surprise i mean he has a lot of money…

          1. I dont see how money gives you speed

            1. (obvious joke about amphetamines)

    3. Looks like Liuzzi had to bring his own fireproof overalls though, that does not look like any sort of team kit! http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/184960_501540166318_340030261318_6666829_601062_n.jpg

      1. Brilliant!

        Aaah HRT, despite the untimely demise of USF1, we still have one hopeless team on the grid. Thank you, guys.

        And good luck to Tonio and Narain driving the .. err… car that will totally, definitely, be ready for the next test, because, you know it’s ready and everything. Really.

      2. No, I think it’s the team’s overalls. I don’t think he has many suits home…
        But it’s hard to tell as Liuzzi wouldn’t have sponsors, and neither does HRT…

      3. No, thats the team overalls, simple white. I believe it is a marketing ploy by them to obtain his Stigness as their driver.

        1. Actually i just created a company called “Cool Spot”. This way i get free F1 advertisement from HRT.
          I am also waiting for approval of the companies names “Your logo here” and “This could be you”.

          After that i can claim of being the main sponsor of an F1 team.

          1. Excellent idea!! :D

        2. Lol.

          Brundle: “The Stig there executing an obscene pass around the outside of Vettel to take the lead. How the hell does he do it that HRT? ”

          Coulthard: “Some say hes fuelled by a burning hatred of Brazilians. And that, his real name is Cuddles”

          1. Or,

            Brundle: And we’re off for the 2011 Australian grand prix, the big excitement for this race of course is the signing of the Stig to HRT. And here he comes now barreling through the corners, he’s made up so much ground already. Currently he’s in 11th place behind Ruebens Barichello, and… oh my word he’s off the Stig’s off spearing straight into Ruebens Barichello. Thats them both out, obviously the Stig’s revenge for Ruebens beating his brother round the Top Gear test track.

    4. He’s still got a foot in the (F1) door. Which is more than quite a few other (ex) drivers can say.

    5. “Potential that can grow in the future…”

      Brilliant! There is not much potential now, but it can grow :) He should get merit for that diplomatic gem.

      1. There is not much potential now, but it can grow

        Well, it surely can’t get any worse..

        1. It can. Can be another Super Aguri, potentially.

          1. Super Aguri had Honda supporting them. In 2007 where they regularly made it to Q2 and scored points, they had a reworked 2006 Honda.

            1. In-season withdrawal.

    6. Probably would have been better off in Indy Car or DTM.

    7. I guess it is good that Liuzzi will still be around. Still, it seems sad to see anyone who was at another team driving for HRT.

      It’s almost seems like that should be a punishement for doing something else wrong. Like, after that whole team orders thing, maybe they should have punished Alonso by making him drive the HRT car for the next 3 races?

      PS – That was jJust a joke. Please no “team orders” or “Alonso bias” comments.

      1. Maybe Liuzzi deserves punishment for his poort 2010 season with FI?

      2. I think people are too pessamistic about HRT, teams and companies can turn things around with the help of new people. If budgets keep getting limited HRT will be in much better shape in the future, and the team entries have reached their limit, so HRT will always be a good investment so i think the future is brighter for them than some might think.

    8. I don’t think he’s looking forward to it, rather he is politely putting up with the station of his age and career prospects at the moment.

      Sadly, there is only 24 seats and the upcoming drivers are born every year, ready, willing to take the place of an experienced driver for pay.

      I believe you are right to think Indy car… or Nascar where the old F1 drivers go to make money making left-hand turns in 30 year old technology.

      1. Indy Car also uses road circuts, so thats not quite right, NASCAR I agree with you on though.

      2. or A10, DTM or Superleague Formula

    9. I think he should stay in F1, even with a weak link like HRT probably is.
      Maybe Heidfeld wouldn’t have got his seat at Renault had he stayed away one whole season, Renault would have chosen Senna instead, who knows.
      I don’t see any better chance to get a better team next season than driving this season for whoever offers him a seat.

      1. I don’t see any better chance to get a better team next season than driving this season

        …and performing well (at least better than Karthikeyan)!

        1. Well, that’s pretty clear. It could be his F1 grave =)

    10. What about the talk of Zsolt Baumgartner driving for HRT?

    11. Now I don’t rate Liuzzi particularly highly but even he is better than HRT!

      However, best of luck to them both. At least they’re conducting pre-season testing this year.

    12. “Every driver that we test is being evaluated for a race seat.”

      Who will they test next?

      1. My mum probably.

    13. Formula 1 fail.

    14. Another publicity stunt from a team that doesn’t even have a car for 2011. I give it about a 1/1,000,000 chance they are on the start line in Bahrain (or wherever the 1st race ends up).

    15. A while back there was rumour that Liuzzi was even considering paying HRT a portion of his settlement money from FI. I seriously hope this is untrue.

      I’m assuming this is the end of his career (getting booted off two teams ech time only after a single full season). Driving for HRT really isn’t going to help get it rebooted.

      Just take the money and go do something “fun”.

    16. I dont know why but i love HRT its just their crapness i love…They just make me think
      if my Grandad (god bless him) was ever to build an F1 car in his shed, with an old porch door he had pilfered
      from the local skip and the insides of knackered zanussi
      washing machine, he would make something close to last years HRT..Then in his role as team Princepal he would then employ my four year old sister as a payer driver for her pound a week pocket money and get my Nan to sponsor it with her pension. but saying that it would probably still go faster than it went last year, but this year is looking peachy

      1. :) Nice one, pricemoda.

        Seriously, though, I think you’re all really underestimating Liuzzi. He’s obviously got an amazing sense of humour.

        1. Indeed. Look at the clothes he’s wearing.

    17. Right, who’s going to be test driver then, surely they are going to go for someone with money?

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