F1 Racing February 2005

F1 On One: Vitantonio Liuzzi

Intro: Testing or racing – at this stage which is best? And how are things at Red Bull?

So, what do we call you – Vitantonio, Tonio, Toni?
Tonio – Vitantonio is too long.

You’ve just tested for Red Bull… are you keen to get racing this year, or would you be content to sit on the sidelines as a tester?
We thought a lot about testing or racing. And, at the moment, I think the best target is to race. Testing for a big team is fine, but too many good drivers have also shown that it’s sometimes difficult to get a race drive. On the other hand, people point to drivers like Giorgio Pantano and say that he damaged his Formula 1 career by jumping into a race car without doing any testing first. But things were difficult at Jordan last year and it showed. It’s different at Red Bull – we can grow up together and make a strong car for the future.

So, you’re hoping for a drive, but how did the present Red Bull testing deal come together?
It was quite complicated. After winning the Formula 3000 championship, I started looking towards Formula 1 – I talked with several teams and tested for Sauber in September, but nothing looked certain. There had been rumours for some time about Red Bull but things were never confirmed. Then the team changed ownership and it all came together quite quickly.

Why Red Bull?
I’ve been supported by them for the past three years and they really helped a lot in getting me into the car. The combination looks quite strong for the future – Jaguar were a very competent team with some really good people; Red Bull have the right ideas and the right mentality. They will grow up together. When Red Bull do something, they do it in the right way – so I can see them becoming really strong before too long.

How did you handle the step up from F3000 into F1?
I’ve done all the right steps – karting, Formula Renault, Formula 3 and Formula 3000. But, more important than that, I did them at the right moment in my career – that’s why I feel it’s right to get into Formula 1 now. I feel ready. Physically, it’s quite hard – particularly for my neck, but I’ve been training quite hard.

How was your first day in the car at Barcelona?
It was fine. We did everything properly at the right moment, and the team were very patient and allowed me to take things steadily, step by step. They didn’t make me nervous and reassured me that there wasn’t any rush. They told me I had to improve as the car improved and just had to get to understand the car. I’ve never tried to push hard on the first lap and risk going off – so I just relaxed and got on with it.

You felt relaxed in the car?
Yes. Obviously, I needed to show the team that I could constantly improve and that I’m good enough to be one of their drivers for next year. But they didn’t put me under any pressure, which was good. And feeling relaxed at the wheel of a racing car has always been one of my strong points – I stay relaxed and calm whenever I’m in the cockpit.

Is the atmosphere similar to what you were used to in F3000?
The approach of the mechanics and engineers is similar. But it’s quite difficult because English isn’t my main language – it’s always harder to communicate with a non-Italian team. I think I found a good working relationship with my engineers and the technical team, so I felt very enthusiastic. Everyone at Red Bull Racing is really nice – I already feel like we’re building up a good relationship, particularly after such a short time. Everyone’s open-minded and nobody’s keeping secrets. That’s what I like – having an open relationship with everyone. I’m really happy about that.

People say you’re quite a talkative chap on the radio. Is that fair?
It depends. I like to talk and explain clearly how I feel. But in English, as I say, it’s quite difficult for me – and my teams always tell me that I don’t talk too much, I just talk too quickly! And it’s a problem speaking in English – I need to improve because I still miss certain words or meanings or the names of things. That could be crucial if you’re at a critical stage of the championship.

Have [team principle] Tony Purnell and Dietrich Mateschitz given you any clues about 2005?
I haven’t seen them too much, to be honest. I saw them at lunch-time on the first day of my test, and we talked together a little bit. But they were both very busy with their own meetings, so I just concentrated on doing a good job with the team.

Tony went out into the grandstands to watch you. He said he was very impressed with your driving. How did that feel?
I’m glad he said that. To get this chance is important to me, and I really want to impress the bosses. I hope I’ve made a good impression because I’ve done my best. It’s too soon to say what will happen, but I hope things go well because I already feel like I’ve become one of the Red Bull family.

Photos and article from F1 Racing Magazine. All credit goes to them and respective photographs.