HRT driver Tonio Liuzzi will contest the Armor All Gold Coast 600 V8 Supercar even in October along with a number of former F1 drivers.

The Italian will co-drive with Ford driver Tony D'Alberto in the Wilson Securities Falcon and is one of seven drivers with Formula One experience announced at the official launch, which celebrated the up-coming 21st birthday of the event.

Liuzzi will race in the Korean Grand Prix on October 16, fly to the Gold Coast for the Armor All Gold Coast 600 and then head to India for its maiden Grand Prix the following weekend.

The seven drivers announced at the launch have no less than 350 Formula One Grand Prix starts between them. Joining Liuzzi on the streets of Surfers Paradise will be two-time Gold Coast Indy winner - Sebastian Bourdais, who will co-drive with either Craig Lowndes or Jamie Whincup at TeamVodafone.

Mika Salo (Will Davison-FPR), ex-Stewart driver Jan Magnussen (Russell Ingall - Supercheap Auto Racing), Austrian Christian Klien (Paul Dumbrell - Bottle-O Racing), journeyman Gianni Morbidelli (Dean Fiore -Triple F Racing) and Stephane Sarrazin (Jason Bright - Team BOC) are all set to battle it out in 635 horsepower Ford and Holden V8 Supercars on the streets of Australia's holiday playground.

A total of 25 of the 28 internationals have been announced and along with the F1 stars includes former Indycar and Indy 500 winners, British, European, Italian and World Touring car champions and winners from the world's most iconic endurance events including the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, Daytona 24-hour, Sebring 12-hour and Le-Mans 24-hour - no less than 12 different countries will be represented.

The build-up to this year's event will include a full test day at Queensland Raceway on Wednesday October 19 and a half-day test the following day - primarily designed for the Indycar drivers arriving in late from their final round and gala dinner in Las Vegas the weekend prior.

Having come through junior formulae as a Red Bull driver, Liuzzi is highly rated among the F1 fraternity - spending time at Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Force India and now HRT.

"I had a good look at the TDR car when I was at the Australian Grand Prix earlier in the year and I was really impressed," said the Italian. "There isn't much difference in size between myself and Tony and our seat position should be comfortable together. We will be a good team.

"I don't think it will take me long to adapt to the car," he continued. "The one-day testing before will be good. I have experience with powerful saloon cars and I really enjoy driving them. I see the V8 Supercars being very similar.

"After finding out that I was coming to Australia to race, I have followed the V8 Supercars a little closer. It looks like very exciting, close racing. The test that we'll do beforehand will be very important. I would like to do more time in the car, but I guess it's the same for everyone."

Liuzzi believes the tough Surfers Paradise street layout will suit his driving style and he believes the international concept of the Armor All Gold Coast 600 has a great future.

"Street tracks always present their own challenges. Monaco is one of my favourite tracks. Surfers is going to be very similar where you have to be very precise," he said. "Every race driver I know is interested in the event. I think I've made some jealous! I guess I will tell them how it is when I get to the Indian Grand Prix the next weekend.

V8 Supercars Chairman, Tony Cochrane, said he could not be happier with the depth of the international field, which has been assembled for this year's race to team-up with V8 Supercars' local home ground talent. "We are delighted with the final field of international drivers that we have so far and we still have a couple of surprises to come," said Cochrane. "We have a great mixture of youth and experience and our first current F1 star in Tonio Liuzzi. To be honest, the interest has been that strong that we could have filled 60 spots on the grid with international drivers and that is a great sign for the event and its future.

"Some of the drivers might not be household names in Australia," he admitted, "but they are all high-profile drivers in their own countries and their involvement in this event will help create so much more international interest for the Gold Coast and Queensland. It is safe to say everyone will know who they are by the time they leave here. I am sure we are going to be in for one hell of a show."