Former Brazilian Formula 1 driver Antonio Pizzonia was detained last Saturday (10) in Texas, United States, on charges of physical assault. The incident, according to TMZ, occurred on the premises of the Speedsportz Racing Park, located in the Houston area, during a stage of the Superkarts USA Winter Series, a competition in which the Brazilian accompanied the participation of his son, Antonio Pizzonia Neto.
The arrest came after the release of videos on social networks that recorded the confusion in the paddock. The images show the moment when Pizzonia runs towards a man and delivers a blow similar to a martial arts kick – described by witnesses and the international press as a “karate kick”. The altercation would have been motivated by a track dispute involving the junior category.
📰 Brazilian driver with stints in Formula 1 and Stock Car was arrested for assault in the US
Former Brazilian driver Antônio Pizzonia, 45, was arrested last Saturday (10) in Montgomery County, Texas (United States), pic.twitter.com/nPHYsBFb8E
After being prosecuted by local authorities and released, the pilot used his Instagram profile to confirm the veracity of the episode and present his version. According to Pizzonia, the violent reaction was an “instinctive and impulsive” response when he realized that his son was being bullied by the other adult involved in the fight.
“Guys, I’m fine and I’m already home. In fact, there was an incident to which, today, I would have reacted differently,” wrote the manauara. “At that moment, I understood that my son, a child, was being coerced by an adult, and I instinctively defended him.”
Known in world motorsport as “Jungle Boy”, Pizzonia had a brief but intense stint in the elite of motorsport. Between 2003 and 2005, he competed in 20 Grands Prix for the Jaguar and Williams teams, scoring eight points in his career. His best result was a seventh place in the 2004 German Grand Prix, when he replaced Ralf Schumacher. After F1, he accumulated experience in several categories, such as Champ Car, Stock Car Brasil and the GT1 World Championship.
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