Antônio Reginaldo Pizzonia Júnior (born 11 September 1980) 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, and also winning the Autosport National Racing Driver of the Year Award. 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. Autosport 1 November 2002 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 (during which he achieved the fastest ever recorded top speed in a F1 race at the time, 369.9 km/h, until Juan Pablo Montoya eclipsed this record the following year), 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 (but was classified as a finisher in) 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 (SC Corinthians) 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 on 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 (born in 2012), 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 Career summary Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F.Laps Podiums Points Position 1996 Formula Vauxhall Junior Winter Series ? 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC 1997 Formula Vauxhall Junior John Village Automotive 16 4 ? ? 4 142 2nd Formula Vauxhall Junior Winter Series Lewis Motorsport 1 1 0 0 1 0 1st 1998 Formula Vauxhall Junior Lewis Motorsport 16 8 ? ? 8 186 1st Formula Renault 2.0 UK Winter Series Manor Motorsport 4 4 ? 3 4 120 1st 1999 Eurocup Formula Renault Manor Motorsport 9 4 ? ? ? 196 2nd Formula Renault 2.0 UK 13 11 12 ? 11 402 1st 2000 British Formula Three Championship Manor Motorsport 14 5 3 5 11 200 1st Masters of Formula 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC FIA European Formula 3 Cup 1 0 0 0 0 0 20th Formula One Mild Seven Benetton Playlife Test Driver 2001 International Formula 3000 Petrobras Junior Team 12 1 1 2 2 22 6th 2002 International Formula 3000 Petrobras Junior Team 12 0 0 0 1 17 8th Formula One BMW WilliamsF1 Team Test Driver 2003 Formula One HSBC Jaguar Racing 12 0 0 0 0 0 NC 2004 Formula One BMW WilliamsF1 Team 4 0 0 0 0 6 15th 2005 Formula One BMW WilliamsF1 Team 5 0 0 0 0 2 22nd 2006 Champ Car World Series Rocketsports Racing 4 0 0 0 0 43 18th 2007 GP2 Series FMS International 5 0 0 0 0 1 27th Stock Car Brasil RS Competições 8 0 0 0 0 1 40th 2008 Superleague Formula SC Corinthians 10 0 0 1 1 264 9th Stock Car Brasil Cimed Racing 10 0 0 0 0 6 31st Champ Car World Series Rocketsports Racing 1 0 0 1 0 0 NC 2009 Stock Car Brasil Amir Nasr Racing 6 0 0 0 1 51 15th Superleague Formula SC Corinthians 12 0 3 3 3 264 8th 2010 Stock Car Brasil Hot Car Competições 11 0 0 1 1 31 23rd GT Brasil CRT Brasil 14 0 0 1 2 90 16th 2011 Stock Car Brasil Amir Nasr Racing 2 0 0 1 0 6 26th Brasileiro de Marcas 2 0 0 0 0 17 28th GT Brasil CRT Brasil 2 0 0 1 0 7 23rd Superleague Formula Team Brazil 4 0 0 1 2 102 8th 2012 Stock Car Brasil Comprafácil Nascar JF 12 0 0 0 0 83 15th Campeonato Brasileiro de GT Mottin Racing 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC American Le Mans Series - LMP2 Conquest Endurance 1 0 0 0 1 0 NC Auto GP World Series Ombra Racing 4 2 0 0 2 45 9th 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMP2 Delta-ADR 2 1 1 0 1 25 15th Rolex Sports Car Series - DP Michael Shank Racing 5 0 0 0 0 102 22nd 2014 Stock Car Brasil Prati-Donaduzzi 20 2 0 1 2 158.5 9th Auto GP World Series Zele Racing 2 0 0 1 1 25 14th Brasileiro de Marcas Amir Nasr Racing 1 0 0 1 0 0 NC 2015 Stock Car Brasil Prati-Donaduzzi 21 0 0 0 0 95 18th Auto GP World Series Zele Racing 4 2 1 2 4 79 1st 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMP2 Manor Motorsport 1 0 0 0 0 10 27th Brasileiro de Marcas C2 Team 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC Porsche Endurance Series - Cup ? 1 0 0 0 0 40 37th 2017 Stock Car Brasil Prati-Donaduzzi 22 0 0 0 1 124 13th 2018 Stock Car Brasil Prati-Donaduzzi 22 0 0 1 0 44 21st 2021 Porsche Endurance Series ? 1 1 0 0 1 116 7th 2023 BOSS GP - Open Class HS Engineering 14 14 7 14 14 352 1st2024 BOSS GP - Open Class HS Engineering1085992571st
Complete British Formula Three Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 DC Points 2000 Manor Motorsport Dallara F399 Mugen-Honda Championship THR CRO OUL DON DON SIL BRH DON DON CRO SIL SNE SPA SIL 1st 200
Complete International Formula 3000 results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 DC Points 2001 Petrobras Junior Team INT IMO CAT A1R MON NÜR MAG SIL HOC HUN SPA MNZ 6th 22 2002 Petrobras Junior Team INT IMO CAT A1R MON NÜR SIL MAG HOC HUN SPA MNZ 8th 18
Complete Formula One results (key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 WDC Points Jaguar Racing F1 Team Jaguar R4 Cosworth V10 AUS13† MAL BRA SMR ESP AUT MON CAN10† EUR FRA GBR GER HUN ITA USA JPN 21st 0 BMW WilliamsF1 Team Williams FW26 BMW P84 3.0 V10 AUS MAL BHR SMR ESP MON EUR CAN USA FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA CHN JPN BRA 15th 6 BMW WilliamsF1 Team Williams FW27 BMW P84/5 3.0 V10 AUS MAL BHR SMR ESP MON EUR CAN USA FRA GBR GER HUN TUR ITA BEL15† BRA JPN CHN13† 22nd 2
Driver did not finish the Grand Prix, but was classified as he completed over 90% of the race distance.
American open wheel Racing (key)
Complete Champ Car results Yr Team No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Rank Points Ref 2006 Rocketsports 8 LBH HOU MTY MIL POR CLE TOR EDM SJO DEN 18th 43 18 MTL ROA SRF MXC
IndyCar Year Team No. Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Rank Points Ref 2008 Rocketsports 9 Panoz DP01 Cosworth HMS STP MOT1 LBH1 KAN IND MIL TXS IOW RIR WGL NSH MDO EDM KTY SNM DET CHI SRF2 45th 0 ¹ Run on same day ² Non-points-paying, exhibition race
Complete GP2 Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)