Vitantonio Liuzzi handed drive with Hispania

Vitantonio Liuzzi has filled the last remaining seat on the Formula 1 grid for the new season after being named as Hispania’s second driver.

The Italian, 29, was passed over by Force India in favour of Scot Paul di Resta this season, despite having a contract with the team.

But he will now join India’s Narain Karthikeyan driving the F111.

“I am really happy to have signed this agreement,” said Liuzzi, who has also driven for Red Bull and Toro Rosso.

“I never lost hope to be in Formula One as I knew I have the experience and the right attributes for a young and ambitious team. I face a new challenge now and this excites me.”

Hispania team boss Colin Kolles was in charge of Force India when Liuzzi was their reserve driver in 2009.

Liuzzi had also previously been touted as a possible replacement for Robert Kubica at Renault while the Pole recovers from suffering multiple fractures and a partially severed right hand in a rally crash.

But Renault opted to give that role to Germany’s Nick Heidfeld instead.

India’s Karun Chandhok, Brazilian Bruno Senna, Japan’s Sakon Yamamoto and Austrian Christian Klien all raced for Hispania in their maiden F1 campaign last year.