OCTOBER 25, 2005

Pizzonia looking to America

Antonio Pizzonia is not thought likely to stay next year with the Williams team, even if there is a Friday testing job available. Pizzonia has had a difficult F1 career to date but has been associated with Williams since the beginning of 2001. At the end of 2002 Jaguar Racing asked Williams to release him from its contract and Williams agreed. Pizzonia joined Mark Webber at Jaguar Racing in 2003 but never really settled in the team and was dumped after the British Grand Prix. He fought back to become the Williams test driver in 2004 and raced for the team on several occasions when Ralf Schumacher was injured. He hoped to be named as Webber's partner this year but was passed over for Nick Heidfeld but stayed on and has raced several times this year when Heidfeld was out of action. With Nico Rosberg expected to join Williams next year, Pizzonia is being passed over again and it seems that he has had enough and wants to go racing in the United States. Pizzonia's manager Jayme Brito spent some time last winter in the United States talking to Champ Car teams, his aim at the time being to try to convince Newman Haas Racing to run a third car.