By Ian Lockwood
April 22 2005

F1 Debutant and Red Bull Racing Driver 'Tonio Liuzzi was thrown straight into the role of a real race driver at a race weekend by being invited along to participate in the Official FIA Press Conference.

Q: A question I am going to be asking all of you: about new developments on your cars for this weekend and what you’re hoping from them? Vitantonio, modifications on the car?

Vitantonio Liuzzi: Yes of course. We had some new developments on the aerodynamic side and on the electronic side which we tested in Barcelona and we did a shakedown this week at Silverstone and we are looking forward to this week. It seems quite OK. We improved a little bit but for sure, as Nick was saying, everyone is developing the car and we have to see our level. Fortunately Imola is a track which fits in quite well with the whole team so we are looking forward to the weekend.

Q: What about the role of third driver which you have been filling up to now. Has that been frustrating or did you always know that you were going to get these three races?

VL: In our team we knew from the beginning that me and Christian would share, since we sat in the car for the first time in December. Fortunately the situation has been quite clear between us. When it was decided he would drive the first three races, I was OK. For sure it is difficult to see the other person racing on television, because we are born for racing and we would like to be there. But I accepted this situation because it was good for me, I learned the first three circuits which I had never been to before and now fortunately it is my turn in Imola, in my home country, and it is great to be here as a driver.

Q: Red Bull, seems to have a different attitude to Formula One…

VL: Are you sure? It seems like it?

Q: … and so do you, when I saw you under the trees in Bahrain surrounded by pretty girls.

VL: Of course, since Red Bull bought Jaguar, everything changed in the team. I think also from our side in the paddock, because I think the team has put in a bit more life, because they have a big change, they have a really big attitude, big mentality and they are showing to everyone that when they do things they do things right, they do it properly. So I think, as they show with the motorhome, as they’ve shown in the past with some events, they are really great. Mateschitz has got a great mentality and I think that as he is supporting the team for this kind of event with these facilities, he is doing it for the team. We are pushing to improve the car and we are putting a lot of effort into it and I think we will get a lot of results soon.

Q: (Peter Windsor – F1 Racing) Vitantonio, your first Grand Prix, by how much would you want to out-qualify DC in order to feel happy at the end of the day?

VL: I will do my best and, for me, as long as I am in front it will be good. But it won’t be that easy because this is my first race and everything is new for me, qualifying in just one lap, so it will not be that easy, but if I can have the chance to be in front that would be great.

Ian Lockwood

Source: www.f1.com