He came to the sport of rallying comparatively late in life compared with many other top drivers. He began his competition career in 1985 in a Fiat Uno and his progress was such that two years later he won the Fiat Uno Trophy in Italy.

Liatti's major breakthrough came in 1990 when he made a stunning world championship debut on his home event, the Sanremo Rally. In those days the Italian rally was a mixture of asphalt, the surface on which Liatti had done most of his early driving, and the flowing gravel roads in Tuscany. Driving a works-supported Lancia Delta Integrale, which contained several experimental parts, he finished fifth.

That was the launching pad for a full European Championship assault in 1991 at the wheel of a similar Delta Integrale run by the private Alessandrini Racing Technology (ART) team. After initially trailing countryman Fabrizio Tabaton in the championship, Liatti soon moved ahead and took the title with some comfort. He won Bulgaria's Zlatni Piassatzi, the Polish Rally, German's Deutschland Rally and the Elpa Rally in Greece and in so doing, established himself as a driver of some prowess on asphalt.

He also finished seventh on the Sanremo Rally and his world championship programme was expanded for 1992. After finishing eighth in Corsica he was eager for a taste of life outside Europe and went to New Zealand, finishing second behind Carlos Sainz in his Lancia. He ended the year with another seventh-placed finish in Italy.

Liatti and ART switched to Subaru for 1993 to contest the Italian Championship but results didn't go his way and he ended the year in fifth. However, it went very much his way on the Sanremo Rally and, despite twice sliding off the road, he recovered to finish fourth and score manufacturer points. He finished third in the following season's Italian Championship and his efforts were rewarded in 1995 when Subaru called him into the team to drive an Impreza on three asphalt rounds of the world championship, with former Ford team-mates Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae.

His best result came on the final round, Spain's Catalunya Rally, when he finished third as Subaru scored a 1-2-3 finish. But perhaps his moment of the season came on his home Sanremo Rally. Although only a Formula 2 round of the world championship rally that year, Liatti won, one of three Italian Championship victories that saw him end the year as runner-up, just three points behind Franco Cunico.

Subaru rewarded the Italian further by signing him for a full programme in 1996. It was a tall order for Liatti, who had previous experience of only two rounds in that season's series but he was guided by vastly experienced co-driver Fabrizia Pons for the first time. However, their investment was justified as Liatti finished seven of the eight full championship rallies he started, claiming second places in both Indonesia and Spain to finish fifth in the world championship. He also finished third in the Asia-Pacific Championship.

The moment Liatti has worked so hard for finally arrived at the beginning of 1997 - his first world championship victory. It came on the most glamorous rally in the world, the Monte Carlo Rally, and was followed by second in both Spain and Italy as he claimed sixth place in the championship standings - no mean feat from only five starts.

An improved programme was offered for 1998 and he drove all 14 championship rounds for the first time. Second on the Sanremo Rally and third on the Tour of Corsica merely emphasised his asphalt talents and regular scores throughout the season earned seventh place in the championship during what was a very competitive season.

Liatti joined Seat for 1999 but as the Spanish team struggled to make a major impression with its Cordoba WRC, a solitary point in Monte Carlo was his only reward during a difficult 12 months. Liatti left Seat at the end of the year and his 2000 season saw wins at both Italy's Rally della Lana and the Madeira Rally, a top-scoring round of the European Championship. He also assisted Fords charge in the last two tarmac rounds of the season and secured I point for the Manufacturer by finish 6th in Corsica.

Continuing with Cassina, Liatti is now looking forward to a season with the Accent WRC and the Hyundai Castrol World Rally Team.