Former Formula One racer Antonio Pizzonia spent part of last weekend behind bars after being arrested on an assault charge in Texas.

 What sparked the incident remains uncertain, but the 45-year-old Brazilian was taken into custody around 6 p.m. last Saturday and booked into a local jail. Pizzonia appeared expressionless in his booking photo, dressed in a striped jail jumpsuit.

The arrest came on a day that was supposed to be about racing. Pizzonia was at Speedsportz Racing Park for the 2026 Superkarts! USA Winter Series, where his son, Antonio Pizzonia Neto, was competing. The younger Pizzonia placed ninth in the X30 Junior race, racing just hours before his father’s arrest.

Pizzonia competed in Formula One from 2003 to 2005, making his debut with Jaguar. His stint there was cut short midway through the season after he failed to score points. He later raced for Williams, picking up eight points across two seasons.

Since leaving Formula One, Pizzonia has remained active on the track, winning the Auto GP World Series in 2015 and taking top honours in the BOSS GP Open Class in both 2023 and 2024.