Olivier Panic grass

Olivier Panis is a French racing driver born the September 2nd 1966 with Lyon.

Biography

1981-1993: Beginnings

Like the majority of the pilots, it is in karting that Panis, then adolescent, carries out its beginnings in competition, in 1981. In 1988, he forsakes karting to begin his career in the single-seater. He thus disputes the championship of France of Formule Renault, which he gains with his second participation. Then, after two good seasons in the Championship of France of Formula 3 (4th in 1990 then 2nd in 1991), it reaches the international Formule 3000 of which he becomes champion in 1993.

1994-1996: Ligier

Its title in F3000 opens to him the doors of the Formule 1. Logically, it is within the French stable Ligier (for which it had already carried out tests) which it begins in 1994. In a delicate context taking into account the strong uncertainty which surrounds the future of the stable (following the legal troubles of the owner Cyril de Rouvre, Ligier is resold in May to Flavio Briatore), Olivier Panis continues like a very good beginner, who shines especially by his solidity and his constancy. Qualities which it makes profitable to finish in the second place of the GP of Germany. Other been remarkable, the weather manages to reach the flag with checkerwork at the time of 15 of the 16 races of the season. Irony of fate, it is at the time of its national GP with Magny-Course that he knows his single abandonment of the season. With the flow of Panic grasses, unquestionable observant consider nevertheless its speed still insufficient to compete with the best. Thus, at the time of the GP of Europe with Sherry, it is dominated throughout the weekend by its one day old fellow-member Johnny Herbert, which discovered the car. Then, during the winter, it is very far from the rate/rhythm of the new world champion Michael Schumacher, come to test Ligier to discover the Renault engine.

Always at Ligier in 1995, Panis pains to show the same solidity which the former season and alternates the good and the least good. On several occasions, he manages to return in the points (and even a new second place, this time at the GP of Australia takes down, in spite of a failing engine), but also makes several errors. He also pains to compete in performances with his fellow-member Martin Brundle, famous near to Tom Walkinshaw, then sport director of the stable. He finishes all the same the championship in remarkable a 8th place. Within a team which gradually seems to lose her French identity (Flavio Briatore is close to reselling the team with Tom Walkinshaw, who ambitionne to move it in England), the position of Panic grass appears increasingly unstable and it is only of extreme accuracy that it preserves his wheel for the season 1996.

Its beginning of championship 1996, average, is obscured by uncertainties which continue to accompany the future by Ligier whose existence even is threatened, of money and coherent redemption plan (the attempt at Walkinshaw having failed). But with GP of Monaco in May, Olivier Panis achieves what will remain the race of its life. Qualified in second half of the grid, it has delivered on a wet track a race full with attack, overflows of many competitors (with in point of organ its going beyond in force on Ferrari of Eddie Irvine) and also benefits from the hecatomb among the favorites to go itself from there to take down a historical victory, the first of the Ligier stable for 15 years. In addition to bringing an international recognition to Panis, this victory causes to start again in the hexagon the passion around F1 with the Frenchwoman , and to support in the months which follow the redemption plan of Ligier by Alain Prost.

1997-1999: Prost Grand Prix

In 1997, it is thus as a pilot of the stable " Prost Grand Prix " (the new name of Ligier) that Panis begins the season. Extremely of a solid reputation following its success Monegasque of the previous year, Panis nourishes ambitions all the more large as Prost JS45, equipped with the new tires Bridgestone, showed during the winter tests an interesting potential. A potential that Panis is given the responsability to confirm by finishing at the beginning of season third GP of Brazil and second of the GP of Spain. Excellent beginnings obscured by its abandonment with the GP of Argentina, where the victory seemed accessible so much Panis and its car were powerful. Then 3rd of the provisional classification of the championship of the world behind Schumacher and Villeneuve after 6 tests, Panis approaches the GP of Canada in full confidence, but a serious accident in end of the road stops Net its rise. Raised with a fractured leg, Panis is constrained to observe a long convalescence and to miss the 7 following GP. It carries out its return to September to the GP of Luxembourg (which it finishes 6th). The season 1998 marks the true beginning of the adventure Prost Grand Prix (as its code name indicates it, Prost JS45 was only one Ligier renamed), with the exit of Prost AP01 and the arrival of the engine Peugeot. But in spite of the great ambitions of all the team, the season turns quickly to the fiasco since Panis does not manage to register the least point because of a disastrous reliability and a low performance level. The things hardly improve in 1999, where it registers only two small points. To that is added relations increasingly tended with its owner Alain Prost, who in particular reproaches him for being regularly dominated by his young Italian team-member Jarno Trulli. During the season 1999, it quickly becomes obvious that the future of Panic grass does not pass any more by Prost Grand Prix. But its image chipped by two lean years makes it not very gravitational on the market of the transfers.

2000: Tester at McLaren

While joining the Belgian manager Didier Knitting machine (especially known to be the agent of the world champion in title Mika Hakkinen), Panis manages nevertheless to open new doors. At the end of 1999, it begins with the stable McLaren - Mercedes in the capacity as pilot tester, a contract which it does not disavow in spite of the offer of Williams for the season 2000 (Williams sought a pilot to replace Alex Zanardi and to ensure the delicate settling of the very new engine BMW, but because of the arrival of Juan Pablo Montoya planned for 2001, was not able to guarantee to Panis a contract relating only to only one season). At McLaren-Mercedes, even if it does not have the possibility of rolling in race, Panis remakes a solid reputation. Its stopwatches under private tests as well as the compliments which address to him publicly the titular pilots (Coulthard and Hakkinen) as well as the leaders of the team (Ron Dennis at the head) make it possible him to find a wheel of holder for the season 2001, where it is chosen by BAR - Honda to support Jacques Villeneuve.

2001-2002: British American Racing

By more or less making good match in performance with its prestigious Canadian team-member Jacques Villeneuve, Panis surprises agreeably. But by the fault of a recurring lack of reliability as well as tactics little inspired on behalf of its team, it is only seldom able to confirm in race its beautiful qualifications and marks only 8 points in 2 seasons.

2003-2006: Toyota F1

Pushed outside by the arrival at BAR of the young person Jenson Button, Panis finds refuge at Toyota. But there still, for lack of a reliable and competitive material, it must be satisfied with thin results throughout the seasons 2003 and 2004. More or less constrained to yield its place to Ricardo Zonta (which him even had just been replaced by Trulli, new arrival within the Toyota stable) for the GP of Brazil, ultimate sleeve of the season, it disputes its last GP in Japan.

In 2005 and 2006, Panis remains at Toyota, in the capacity as pilot tester, but without disputing the least Grand Prix. September 18th, 2006, at 40 years passed, he announces that he puts a final term at his career Formulates 1 of them whole while emitting the wish to control in the future in other disciplines.

Career

External bond

Official site of Olivier Panic grass

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