Tonio Liuzzi relaxed about 2012 HRT drive

With HRT having completed a deal with Pedro de la Rosa for 2012, there has been talk that Liuzzi's place could be under threat if the outfit needs to find a sponsor-backed driver to compete alongside him.

But although admitting that there are no guarantees he will remain on board, despite having a long-term deal, Liuzzi insists he is not worried about the situation.

"We have not spoken about next year, but for me when I signed for the team I signed a longer term deal," Liuzzi told AUTOSPORT.

"At the moment the way F1 is going it is quite crazy, because teams need money, and you can never be really relaxed. But I feel relaxed because I did the maximum to achieve the results this year - and it is because everyone did a good job that we have made progress this year.

"Now I don't see any big issue for next year, but you can never know."

Liuzzi is confident that HRT will be able to make a good step forward with its car for 2012, after conceding that development had stalled for a period this year after new owners came on board.

"In the first half of this season the team grew together and we made a big step forward - if you look at where we did not qualify at the first race to where we are now," he said.

"So I have to say the team did a really good job to follow, to grow and our cooperation was really good. It is what we wanted to achieve this year.

"After a few things changed in the ownership we stepped back a little bit, and the development did not come as we wanted. But we have started working on 2012, so we hope it comes out as fast as we predict - and we are really positive about next year.

"Overall everybody did a good job. I think everyone can be proud, everyone did a good job, and the team is happy."