Antonio Pizzonia (Minardi race driver from 2003)

Personal Details
 
Date of birth 11 Sept 1980    
Birthplace Manaus, Brazil    
Nationality Brazillian    
Lives Manaus & Cambridge    
Marital status Single    
Height 1.73m    
Weight 68kg    
Hobbies Football, Tennis, Running, Surfing    
Favorite food Brazillian BBQ    
Favorite drink 7UP & Pepsi    
First drove a car Aged 15    
First drove a racing car Aged 16 at the Skip Barber Dodge Racing School    


Career Highlights

1991 Amazonian Kart Cadet Rank Champion    
  Manaus City Kart Cadet Rank Champion    
  Amazonian TV Cup Free Rank Champion    
1992 Paulista Kart Junior Rank Champion    
  MG Pneus Cup Junior Rank Bi-Champion    
1993 Paulista Kart Junior Champion    
  MG Pneus Cup Junior Rank Bi-Champion    
  Sao Paulo City Junior Rank Champion    
1994 Paulista Kart Junior Rank Tri-Champion    
  Brazillian Kart Junior Rank - 2nd overall    
1995 Paulista Kart B Rank - 2nd overall    
1996 Paulista Kart A Rank - 2nd overall    
  Brazillian Kart A Rank Champion    
  Skip Barber Dodge Formula America - 2nd overall    
1997 British Formula Vauxhall Junior Championship - 2nd overall    
  British Formula Vauxhall Junior Winter Series Champion    
1998 British Formula Vauxhall Junior Champion    
  British Formula Renault Winter Series Champion    
1999 British Formula Renault Champion    
  European Formula Renault Championship - 2nd overall    
  First test in a WilliamsF1 FW21 Formula One car at Silverstone    
2000 British Formula 3 Champion    
  Brazil six-hours of Fortaleza Endurance Race    
2001 FIA International Formula 3000 Championship - 6th overall (1 win)    
2002 Official Test Driver - BMW WilliamsF1 Team    
  FIA International Formula 3000 Championship

 

Profile

A stunning karting record made Antonio Pizzonia one to watch from the moment he arrived in Britain in 1997. The Brazilian’s awesome performances in the junior categories have paved the way for his Formula 3000 graduation with the Petrobras Junior team this season, taking the place of reigning champion and former BMW WilliamsF1 Team test driver Bruno Junqueira.

A Brazilian karting record said to be the equal of Ayrton Senna’s made Antonio a hot property before he had even set foot in a racing car. His origins were also notable. While most Brazilian racing stars hailed from the Sao Paulo and Rio areas, Antonio grew up in the North-Eastern Amazonia region, giving rise to the nickname ‘Jungle Boy’.

Already tipped as the next Brazilian superstar, Pizzonia was only 16 when he arrived in Britain to race for John Village in Formula Vauxhall Junior. He won his first race but the expected title challenge evaporated as Antonio couldn't match Lewis Motorsport’s Doug Bell. He duly switched to the title-winning squad for the winter series and took a clean-sweep of victories.

His second season of car racing saw Antonio march to the Formula Vauxhall Junior title with Lewis, although Richard Lyons provided a surprisingly strong challenge to the Brazilian’s anticipated dominance. Antonio then joined Manor Motorsport for the Formula Renault Winterseries and won all four races with apparent ease.

Antonio embarked on a full Formula Renault season with Manor the following year and was virtually untouchable. Winning 12 of the 13 races held Antonio was on a different level to all his rivals. He also took second place in the EuroCup, despite date clashes with the British series forcing him to miss two rounds.

Antonio moved from Formula Renault to F3 with the same crack Manor squad and became the first man in a decade to win the British F3 title at the first attempt. Although a series of tests with other F1 teams led nowhere, he did shine during those outings and also set an encouraging pace in his first F3000 tests.

His first year with the Petrobras Junior Team was him partnered with fellow Brazillian Riccardo Sperafico. A race win each during the tough season has given Antonio the circuit knowledge he needs to mount a serious title challenge in 2002. With his Formula One testing duties for the BMW WilliamsF1 Team Antonio Pizzonia is a star in the making.