Antônio Pizzonia
Antônio Reginaldo Pizzonia Júnior is a Brazilian professional racing driver who has raced in Formula One and the Champ Car World Series. Born in Manaus, he started his car racing career in the Formula Vauxhall Junior series in 1997 and then progressed through various junior formulae, winning the Formula Vauxhall Junior Winter Festival in 1997, the Formula Vauxhall Junior and Formula Renault Winter Festival in 1998, the Formula Renault 2.0 UK in 1999, and the British Formula 3 Championship in 2000.
For 2001 and 2002, Pizzonia entered the Formula 3000, with his best championship finish being sixth in 2001. In 2003, he was signed by the Jaguar Formula One team, but following poor results, was released during the season. In 2004, he replaced the injured Ralf Schumacher at Williams in several events, securing his first Formula One points in the process.
In 2005, Pizzonia replaced Nick Heidfeld at Williams, but was released from his contract at the end of the season. Since then, he has competed in multiple series, such as the Champ Car World Series, the Superleague Formula, Stock Car Brasil, and the FIA GT1 World Championship.
Racing career
Pre-Formula One
From 1991 to 1996, Pizzonia competed in various karting series. In 1997, he moved to Britain and competed in Formula Vauxhall Junior; Pizzonia placed second, and won the Winter Festival. In 1998, in addition to taking the Championship in Formula Vauxhall Junior, he won the Formula Renault Winter Festival.Pizzonia's 1999 season was even more successful, winning the Formula Renault 2.0 UK series and finishing second in the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup. In 2000, Pizzonia took five wins on his way to winning the British Formula 3 Championship. For 2001, Pizzonia switched to the Formula 3000 series, winning one race and finishing sixth in the championship.
Formula One
In 2002, Pizzonia was hired as test driver for Williams, but also continued in F3000, placing eighth. After impressive testing performances, he was signed by the Jaguar team to partner Mark Webber for 2003, replacing the axed Pedro de la Rosa. However, following a string of poor results, he was dropped late in the season and replaced by Minardi's Justin Wilson.In 2004, Pizzonia returned to Williams as test driver. Before the German Grand Prix, it was announced that Pizzonia would take over from Marc Gené, who had been filling in for the injured Ralf Schumacher. At the German Grand Prix, he finished seventh to take his first two career points; he repeated the feat at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
In Belgium, Pizzonia briefly led an F1 race for the first time, but failed to finish the race due to a gearbox problem, whilst running in third place. He claimed a further two points in Italy, but with the announcement of Ralf Schumacher's return for the Chinese Grand Prix, Pizzonia's racing was over for the year.
Prior to the 2005 season, Pizzonia was in a virtual shoot-out with German Nick Heidfeld for the second race seat at Williams alongside Webber. Despite Pizzonia's experience with the team and financial support from Petrobras, Heidfeld was given the seat.
Pizzonia was still employed at Williams as a test driver, and when Heidfeld complained of headaches after being concussed in a crash during the Friday Practice Session at Monza, Pizzonia gained the chance to race. Having not entered an F1 race since the 2004 Italian Grand Prix, the Brazilian qualified sixteenth, coming through the field to emulate his 2004 race result — picking up seventh place and two points. He then raced in the Belgian Grand Prix. where he incurred a fine for taking out second placed Juan Pablo Montoya just a few laps from the end. Pizzonia also took the drive in the Brazilian Grand Prix, but his race was over before the first corner after taking out his own teammate Mark Webber resulting from a collision with David Coulthard.
Despite some speculation that GP2 champion Nico Rosberg would be given an opportunity in the last two races of the season, Pizzonia completed the season for Williams. He retired from the Japanese Grand Prix early after spinning off, and retired from the Chinese Grand Prix after a puncture. Having been replaced by Nico Rosberg for 2006 and failing to find a seat elsewhere, Pizzonia's Formula One career was over.
Post-Formula One
In 2006, Pizzonia drove for Paul Gentilozzi's Rocketsports team in the Champ Car World Series' Long Beach Grand Prix and returned to the team towards the end of the season for races where Tõnis Kasemets did not have sponsorship to race.In 2007, Pizzonia was racing for Fisichella Motor Sport in the GP2 series. In May, he was dropped in favour of Adam Carroll after only scoring one point in five races. After that, he returned to Brazil and entered into competition in Stock Car Brasil, a Brazilian national championship, from July. He has competed in the series every year since then, and has also raced in Superleague Formula at 2008, 2009 and 2011, and the FIA GT1 World Championship.
In 2012, Pizzonia made a one-off guest appearance in the Auto GP World Series when the championship visited the Brazilian Curitiba circuit. Driving for the Ombra Racing team, he won both races, immediately slotting himself into ninth position in the championship.
In 2014 and 2015, Pizzonia competed in the Auto GP series, with Zele Racing.
Pizzonia returned to open-wheel racing in 2023, in the BOSS GP series, with HS Engineering in a Gibson-engined Dallara T12, winning both races overall at the season-opener at Paul Ricard. He has subsequently won every race in his class. He won the Open class title at TT Circuit Assen.
Personal life
Antônio Reginaldo Pizzonia Júnior is the son of Antônio Reginaldo Pizzonia, who was initially a businessman in Manaus before supporting his son's international career. He had a relationship with the athlete Maurren Maggi between 2003 and 2006. They had one daughter, Sophia, born in 20 December 2004. In 2008, he dated singer. He is currently married to the blogger and digital influencer Bárbara Balbeque, with whom he has two children, including Antônio Pizzonia Neto, who is currently competing in high-level karting championships in Europe and USA.On 10 January 2026, Pizzonia was arrested in Montgomery County, Texas, following a physical altercation at the Speedsportz Racing Park during the Superkarts! USA Winter Series. He allegedly intervened in a disagreement involving his son by assaulting another competitor's father with a punch and a "flying kick," leading to his detention on a Class A Misdemeanor charge of Assault Causing Bodily Injury before being released on bail.
Racing record
Complete British Formula Three Championship results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | DC | Points |
| 2000 [British Formula Three Championship|2000] | Manor Motorsport | Dallara F399 | Mugen-Honda | Championship | THR 1 | CRO 1 | OUL 2 | DON 11 | DON 2 | SIL 2 | BRH 1 | DON 1 | DON 3 | CRO Ret | SIL 2 | SNE 1 | SPA 2 | SIL 9 | 1st | 200 |
Complete Formula One results
Driver did not finish the Grand Prix, but was classified as he completed over 90% of the race distance.American open wheel Racing
IndyCar
¹ Run on same day² ''Non-points-paying, exhibition race''
Complete Superleague Formula results
Super Final Results
- Super Final results in 2009 did not count for points towards the main championship.
Brazilian competitions
Stock Car Brasil
† Ineligible for championship points.Complete Auto GP results
‡ Position when season was cancelled.Complete BOSS GP Series results
| Year | Entrant | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | DC | Points |
| 2023 | HS Engineering | Dallara T12 | Open | HOC 1 1 | HOC 2 1 | LEC 1 1 | LEC 2 1 | RBR 1 2 | RBR 2 1 | MIS 1 1 | MIS 2 1 | ASS 1 2 | ASS 2 1 | MNZ 1 1 | MNZ 2 1 | MUG 1 11 | MUG 2 1 | 1st | 352 |