Liuzzi has a contract with HRT until the end of 2013

Vitantonio Liuzzi has repeatedly stated that he has a contract with HRT in recent weeks, even though, for the moment, nothing confirms that he will remain with the team in 2012. Indeed, the Spanish team is struggling with financial issues – it doesn’t have a very large budget, and Liuzzi’s seat could be promised to a driver able to bring a substantial budget.

For the moment everything is very vague. The main problem is that the team does not have a budget, so they are evaluating ways to have money for two drivers, Tonio Liuzzi told the site 422race.com.

Liuzzi confided to the Italian site that he had a contract with HRT until the end of the 2013 season, but his place was not entirely guaranteed due to lack of budget.

At the moment, I am still tied to HRT, as I still have a contract for two years. But everything is yet to be defined because they are looking for sponsors. They would obviously like to keep me with Pedro (de la Rosa), but we are still on standby.

HRT has already announced Pedro de la Rosa as a driver for 2012 with the goal of having the team as Spanish as possible – which could therefore cost Liuzzi, who is Italian, his place.

When I decided to join this team, there was another owner, Carabante, who had a different project from Thesan Capital, who advocate for a more nationalistic project. Their project is a Spanish one; they want Spanish sponsors, which could lead to a change in driver management as well.

The Italian driver understands the situation but hopes that things can be resolved quickly because the first winter tests take place at the beginning of February and the first race on March 18th – which leaves the team little time.

I am not judging; I am being very realistic. I understand the internal situation of the team, and at the moment we are trying to resolve the situation as quickly as possible because the (start of the) championship is near.

While waiting for the situation to become clearer, Liuzzi remains involved with the team and participates in the development of the new car even though he knows that a driver with a budget might push him out.

I am fully part of the project because I am still a driver for the team. I am aware that things can change at any time, as it can be the case in all other teams. Currently, contracts have very little value, because a young driver with money can always come in and buy the seat. That’s how things work, added the Italian driver.