Liuzzi Blames Politics for not Racing

Although the Italian had been expected to race alongside David Coulthard again following his four-race stint earlier this year, the team have now decided to keep Christian Klien in the seat for the remainder of the season.

And speaking about that decision, Liuzzi believes he is the victim of politics within the team rather than losing the seat for reasons relating to his own performance.

"It was a political decision," he said in an interview with this week's Autosprint. "Klien is Austrian. I understand the situation and I accept it. I can't do anymore than that."

Liuzzi believes that the Red Bull's Austrian chiefs have given Klien more leeway this season because of his nationality rather than due to his on-track showings.

"It's true, and that is the crux of the matter," added Liuzzi. "Red Bull invested a lot in Klien, and now they want to put him in the optimal situation to gauge whether it was a good investment or not. And that's why they decided to carry on with him, with no more excuses.

"Obviously I would have liked to race more, to take part in other GPs, as it was promised to me. But that's how things are and I can't change them, so I'm going to Brazil as third driver."

Liuzzi had made it clear that he does not blame Red Bull Racing's sporting director Christian Horner for the decisions.

"They (the team) told me I would be back in Turkey, then at Monza, then at Spa. But there was nothing instead.

"They explained to me that it was better to go on with Klien for a matter of continuity, because a break every four races was of no use to anyone: to the driver, who as soon as he gets used to the car and the races he already has to stop, and to the team, who risk losing focus by always following different drivers.

"Horner knows my potential well, he knows what I can do. In the decision of not making me race, he had no influence."

Despite his disappointment about losing out on the race drive this season, Liuzzi claims that no decision has yet been made about whether he or Klien will land the second seat at Red Bull Racing next year - with the loser set to take a drive at the junior Minardi outfit.

"Red Bull haven't yet decided, between Klien and me, about who will race in 2006 with Red Bull and with Minardi," added Liuzzi. "So, any prediction is useless."

And although some may view a possible placing at Minardi as a step down for Liuzzi, the Italian remains upbeat about the possibility.

"If it will be Minardi, then the situation won't even be comparable to the current one. They should be using the RB1, or at least a good part of it."

He added: "Even if it will be Minardi, in F1 there are only 20 places, and Red Bull have never forced me to do anything.

"I've always had complete freedom, I'm not constrained by a contract. Now this is one of those moments, but my objective remains F1. I'm not interested in racing in America at the moment."