His unusual fashion sense may give the impression that he is less serious than his more conventionally dressed colleagues, but when it comes to racing Toro Rosso’s Vitantonio Liuzzi is as determined as any potential world champion can be. And world champion is exactly what the 24-year-old Italian wants to be - on the podium and holding the trophy - as he explained exclusively to Formula1.com…

　　他那非同寻常的时尚感给人留下了这样一种印象：比起那些穿着循规蹈矩的同事来说，他不是太严肃。但当开始比赛时，维坦托尼奥-里尤兹的坚定却和任何一位可能的世界冠军一样。世界冠军的确是这位24岁的意大利人想要的东西，就如同他向Formula1.com解释的就是站在领奖台上，捧着奖杯。

　　Q: In your previous racing life you were top of the class - International Formula 3000 champion. How does it feel to start all over again?

　　VL: I did a really good job in the past and to get into Formula One is not for everybody, so others also must have felt that. It’s a normal step in a career that you come to crossroads where you are confronted with new challenges - just like in school, progressing from elementary to secondary to high school, and finally to university. True, the learning process in F1 was tough, but throughout my career so far I was always involved with the right people and the right teams to teach me the right things to make my learning curve run north. I am very satisfied with how it has all gone so far and I hope to win the Formula One world championship as soon as possible.

　　问：在你早先的赛车生涯中，你位于一流之列：世界F3000冠军。重新来过一遍的感觉如何？

　　维坦托尼奥-里尤兹：我在过去完成了非常出色的工作，能进入F1不是每个人都可以做到的事情，所以别人可能也会这样感觉。当你来到十字路口在那里面临新的挑战时，这是职业生涯中很普通的一步。就如同在学校，你从初级升到中级再到高中，最后进入大学。确实，在F1运动中学习的过程很艰苦，但截至目前为止，我在职业生涯中总是碰到好人和好车队教我正确的事情，使得我的学习阶段可以一帆风顺。我很满意目前为止的进展，希望能够尽快地赢得F1世界冠军。

　　Q: A prominent paddock figure said recently that a Red Bull team is your only chance to be in Formula One racing - that no other team would sign you. What’s your reply to such a statement?

　　VL: Probably he doesn’t know the history of the drivers in F1. I would say that 80 percent of the drivers who are here are here not for their curriculum, but for other reasons.

　　问：维修区中的一位名人最近表示，一只红牛车队是你能够留在F1的唯一机会。没有别的车队会签下你。你对这个说法的回应是什么？

　　维坦托尼奥-里尤兹：可能他不知道在F1运动中车手们的来历。我想说的是现在这里有80%的车手不是来这里学习的，而是有其它的原因。

　　Q: You had very little chance to race last year when you were sharing the Red Bull cockpit with Christian Klien. How would you sum up things after five consecutive races with Toro Rosso in 2006?

　　VL: I am very satisfied because I am with a team that is growing every day. We are in the middle of a process of hiring a strong group of people for 2007. I am also satisfied with my performance so far, finishing 11th twice - in Bahrain and Malaysia - and doing well in Australia when I found Villeneuve in my way. I am looking forward.

　　问：去年你参加比赛的机会非常少，那个时候红牛的驾驶舱由你和克里斯蒂安-克莱恩分享。在2006年为红牛之队连续效力了五场比赛之后，你会对事情作如何的总结？

　　维坦托尼奥-里尤兹：我很满意，因为我在一只每天都在成长的车队。我们现在正在为2007年雇佣出色的人才。到现在为止，我也对自己的表现很满意，以11名的成绩完赛了两次，分别是在巴林和马来西亚。当澳大利亚维伦纽夫在我的路线上时，我也干得不错。我期待进步。

　　Q: Your recent tests with Red Bull Racing raised a few eyebrows as well as questions over whether you might move back to Toro Rosso’ sister team next year. Any comment?

　　VL: I work for Red Bull overall, so there is no room for rumours. Red Bull’s teams are the ones that want to achieve the best results in the shortest time - and whatever they decide over my future is fine with me.

　　问：你最近为红牛车队参加的测试也产生了这样的一些问题，即明年是否你会重新返回红牛之队的兄弟车队。对此有什么看法吗？

　　维坦托尼奥-里尤兹：总体来说，我是在为红牛效力，所以谣言在这里没有机会。红牛的车队是希望能够在短时期内获得最好成绩的车队，不论他们怎么决定，我的未来都会对我很好。

　　Q: In a very short space of time you have become regarded as a bit of a ‘character’ in the Formula One paddock. Is there a risk that people won’t take you seriously as a driver as a result?

　　VL: I want to be myself because you only live one life and I never want to reach 40 and have to say that I’ve never laughed. And I think it is stupid that people think that just because I wear baggy pants or crazy shirts that I cannot perform. One thing has nothing to do with the other. When I am in the car I am totally focused on results - and when I am out of the car on other things.

　　问：在很短的一段时间内，你在F1维修区中被认为很有个性。因而人们没有严肃地把你看待成一名车手是否是一种冒险？

　　维坦托尼奥-里尤兹：我想做我自己，因为你只能以一种生活方式生活。我从没想过到了40岁的时候说我从来没有笑过。如果人们认为我不行只因为我穿多袋裤或者是古怪的衬衫，那我会认为这很愚蠢。这件事和那些事没有关系。当我在赛车中的时候，我完全把精力集中在成绩上。而当我不在赛车里的时候，才会把精神放到其它事情上。

　　Q: It has been five months now since Scuderia Toro Rosso took over the ailing Minardi team. Aside from moving ahead of Midland and Super Aguri, what other improvements have taken place?

　　VL: Our biggest aim was - and is - to bring the best talents to the team as 2007 is the target where we want to be competitive and I am sure that at the end of this season it will already show.

　　问：自从红牛之队接管了情况不佳的米纳尔迪车队，现在时间已经过去了五个月。除了跑在米德兰和超级亚久里车队的前面之外，还有什么别的改进吗？

　　维坦托尼奥-里尤兹：我们最大的目标就是能够把最棒的人才带入车队，因为我们想要在2007年具备竞争力，我肯定赛季末就能显示出来了。

　　Q: You once said you wanted to be a singer, a performer. Still happy you made the right career choice?

　　VL: People always like the ‘what-might-have-been’ games. The truth is that I like music, but from my early age on, when I got into karting it was clear for me that I wanted to be a race driver, as racing is in my blood.

　　问：你曾经说过想要成为一名歌手，一名表演者。仍然对自己做出正确的职业选择感到高兴吗？

　　维坦托尼奥-里尤兹：人们总是喜欢玩‘可能会怎样’的游戏。事实真相是我喜欢音乐。当从我很小的时候起，当我开始参加卡丁车赛时，我就清楚地知道自己想要成为一名赛车手，因为赛车就流淌在我的血液中。

　　Q: The Red Bull environment is perfect one for theatrics, for fun and games. Is it also perfect for your ambitions as a driver?

　　VL: Yes it is. Red Bull is not a brand that just puts on a show and a party. They are investing heavily in Formula One and Mr Mateschitz is putting a great deal of effort into the teams - in fact he is the only person who owns two teams. And the way he groups the best heads of the paddock around these two teams shows his ambitions. Sure, it takes time, but the world championship is clearly on the agenda and the fact that Red Bull is a perfectly-working marketing engine plays to our advantage.

　　问：红牛的环境就表演效果和趣味性来说是最棒的。这对你作为一名车手的目标来说也是完美的吗？

　　维坦托尼奥-里尤兹：是的。红牛不是一个只是想要在演出和聚会上出现的品牌。他们对F1投入很大，马特基茨先生对车队做出了巨大的贡献。实际上，他是唯一一位拥有两只车队的人。他把维修区中最棒的人才拉拢进两只车队显示了他的野心。当然，这需要一些时间，但世界冠军无疑已经是在议程之中了。而红牛是一台完美运作的商业引擎也是我们的优势。（声明：F1官方网站版权所有，未经许可不得翻译、刊载，搜狐F1频道为唯一中文网络合法登载单位。 王波编译）

(责任编辑：大舒)