Liuzzi fed up with pay drivers

Facing the very real chance of being without a race-seat despite having a contract with HRT, Tonio Liuzzi admits he is ‘sick’ of pay drivers…

Facing the very real chance of being without a race-seat despite having a contract with HRT for the coming year, Tonio Liuzzi admits he is “sick” of pay drivers.

The Italian joined HRT from Force India last season and had a deal with the team to race this year. However, the Spanish outfit has not confirmed the identity of their second driver, only naming Pedro de la Rosa thus far. Liuzzi reveals that it is a simple question of money that is keeping him out of a race-seat.

“I’m still linked with the team and have a long, multi-year contract,” Liuzzi told ESPNF1.

“At the moment the team has been clear to me; it’s a difficult period in terms of money so they are trying hard to find sponsors to be able to run me as per the contract. But in the case that they are struggling then they might be forced to look for a driver that brings money.”

There are a number of drivers currently on the grid who appear to have got secured their places through financial clout rather than racing talent and the 30-year-old admits that this is cause for frustration.

“If you’ve got a big sponsor behind you then you are an F1 driver and that’s not the way it should be from my point of view,” he said.

“There may be some people that think differently, but Formula One is the top of the sport and should be full of talent that have got the results during their career and have been kicking arse since they were kids, not people that just have the money. I’m sick of it being like this at the moment, but I have to just accept it and hopefully I will get another chance.”