HRT: Liuzzi facing uncertain future

2011 Brazilian GP team review

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With Pedro de la Rosa set to join HRT next year, Brazil may have been Liuzzi’s last start for them.

Daniel Ricciardo Vitantonio Liuzzi
Qualifying position 22 21
Qualifying time comparison (Q1) 1’16.890 (+0.259) 1’16.631
Race position 20
Laps 68/71 61/71
Pit stops 2 2

HRT drivers’ lap times throughout the race (in seconds):

https://www.racefans.net/charts/2011drivercolours.csv

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71
Daniel Ricciardo 94.802 83.784 82.68 82.216 82.313 82.095 81.895 81.778 82.204 82.312 82.346 82.741 82.161 81.956 81.939 81.726 81.947 82.036 82.013 85.898 97.895 80.863 81.347 81.601 81.743 80.541 81.908 83.223 81.09 80.884 82.29 80.743 84.787 81.472 80.518 84.09 81.264 80.805 81.111 84.592 86.849 97.938 81.059 82.306 80.32 80.406 80.156 80.618 80.563 81.738 84.651 82.683 81.324 81.397 80.148 80.83 81.473 79.817 79.915 83.634 79.806 79.943 79.839 79.649 81.836 79.922 80.3 84.834
Vitantonio Liuzzi 94.02 83.458 82.529 82.402 82.499 81.902 81.813 81.887 82.209 82.386 82.06 82.03 81.964 81.951 81.765 81.873 81.976 81.821 82.113 82.172 85.541 97.504 80.885 80.922 81.62 81.404 80.923 81.605 81.277 81.809 81.35 82.504 80.939 81.361 81.653 81.829 81.22 80.96 81.208 81.912 82.1 81.854 82.044 81.515 85.536 98.018 81.313 80.794 81.112 80.929 80.921 81.163 81.462 81.856 82.164 82.971 81.408 82.286 81.583 80.648 82.146

Daniel Ricciardo

Start tyre Soft
Pit stop 1 Soft 23.473s
Pit stop 2 Medium 22.904s

Having been quicker of the two HRTs earlier in Q1, Ricciardo was disappointed to slip behind his team mate: “I didn’t improve on the second set of tyres which is frustrating because we could’ve achieved an even better result.”

He slipped back towards the end of the first stint, then made an early second stop due to high tyre degradation: “I think we abused the tyres a bit too much and I had to pit a bit earlier for the [mediums] because the tyres were finished.

“It took a few laps for the [mediums] to start working but once they did the times were better than ever.”

Ricciardo was the last classified runner.

Daniel Ricciardo 2011 form guide

Vitantonio Liuzzi

Vitantonio Liuzzi, HRT, Interlagos, 2011
Start tyre Soft
Pit stop 1 Soft 22.666s
Pit stop 2 Medium 22.996s

Liuzzi was satisfied to beat his team mate plus both the Virgins in qualifying.

He made a poor start but recovered to end the first lap in 22nd place: “At the start my car went into anti-stall so when I dropped the clutch the car stopped and everyone passed me and, therefore, I was last coming into the first corner but then during the first lap I managed to make up for it.”

He was running four seconds ahead of his team mate mate when the alternator failed on his car ten laps from home.

Will Liuzzi return to drive for the team next year? HRT have had the highest driver turnover of any of the new teams, fielding seven different drivers in their first two seasons.

With a lot of competition for seats and teams like Red Bull seeking to place young drivers at smaller teams to gain experience, Liuzzi’s F1 future is under threat.

Vitantonio Liuzzi 2011 form guide

Jan Charouz

Drove Liuzzi’s car in first practice, making his first appearance in an F1 race weekend.

2011 Brazilian Grand Prix

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    Keith Collantine
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    14 comments on “HRT: Liuzzi facing uncertain future”

    1. Profile Photo

      BasCB (@bascb)
      28th November 2011, 11:40

      Both HRTs seemed afraid of the heights of starting in front of the Virgins. But pretty much invisible until we saw Liuzzi come to a halt next to the track.

      Would be a bit sad to end your career that way.

      1. Profile Photo

        Mike (@mike)
        28th November 2011, 14:08

        @BasCB
        I don’t share the same affection for him as I do Rubens, but I certainly agree. It’s not a happy way to go.

        I’ve been thinking. Most people who I’ve seen discuss it tend to suggest Ricciardo is going to take Buemi’s place. In that case, that leaves a seat for Pedro. Could HRT consider taking two experienced drivers? Or do you think we will see another rookie?

        1. Profile Photo

          BasCB (@bascb)
          28th November 2011, 16:27

          The latest bets are on Ricciardo going to Lotus, sorry Caterham pushing out Trulli. And maybe D’Ambrosio ending up at HRT (or Giedo VdGarde?) @mike

          But this being the silly season, and Renault now having about 9 drivers lined up to possibly take that seat it might end up completely differently!

          1. Profile Photo

            Mike (@mike)
            28th November 2011, 23:42

            lol, :D

      2. Profile Photo

        Fixy (@)
        28th November 2011, 21:12

        I think Liuzzi’s kept Ricciardo quiet this season. Once again he beat him here (in qualifying) and I expected the Aussie to thrash him by now.

    2. Profile Photo

      GeeMac (@geemac)
      28th November 2011, 12:29

      Cheerio Tonio. I admit it is a sad way to end his career but you have to admit his vast collection of one off helmets probably impressed us more than his driving ever did.

      1. Profile Photo

        BasCB (@bascb)
        28th November 2011, 13:21

        It did!

      2. Profile Photo

        AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
        29th November 2011, 13:26

        @GeeMac Especially that last one, wow! Want one please.

        Not that i’d have any use for it, of course.

        1. Profile Photo

          GeeMac (@geemac)
          29th November 2011, 13:54

          @AndrewTanner I was quite fond of the last one actually, a bit duller than his usual efforts, but is was very original.

    3. HRT Fan
      28th November 2011, 22:11

      Tonio no doubt shortly HRT will announce your moneybags replacement for season 2012. But you put in a great effort in what was probably one of the worst F1 cars in the history of the sport.

      You got HRT 11th place in the constructors title (ahead of Virgin) by your great race in appalling conditions in the Canadian GP (let’s not mention the extra money HRT will gain from your great drive that day).

      1. Profile Photo

        Gridlock (@gridlock)
        30th November 2011, 13:25

        You do HRT a disservice… Never heard of prequalifying?

      2. Profile Photo

        Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
        5th December 2011, 9:05

        let’s not mention the extra money HRT will gain

        I don’t believe you get any prize money for finishing below tenth in the constructors’ championship.

    4. Profile Photo

      wasiF1 (@wasif1)
      29th November 2011, 1:57

      Alone with Pedro it will be good for the team if they can have another driver backed from Red Bull as this will help them fund money on the other side Pedro will help them build the team.

    5. Profile Photo

      AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
      29th November 2011, 13:28

      A good way for them to end the season. They finished ahead of Virgin in the race (well, Ricciardo did) and in the championship.

      The battle between them and Virgin became a bit stagnant this year but I hope that with all the new things happening between the two teams we will have some nice competition next year.

    Comments are closed.