Interview with Olivier Panis - Former Formula 1 driver

Olivier Panis is a French racing driver with a rich and varied career. After winning the Formula 3000 championship, he moved to Formula 1 in 1994 with Ligier, where he made history with a memorable victory at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1996, the team's first win for 15 years. After his stint with Ligier, which became Prost Grand Prix, he enjoyed a fine rise to prominence, achieving several podium finishes, including 3rd place in Brazil in 1997, before a serious accident interrupted his career for a time.

After his comeback, he moved to McLaren as a test driver, then joined BAR-Honda in 2001 before ending his F1 career with Toyota, where he was also a test driver before retiring for good in 2006. He then pursued a career in endurance racing, taking part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and winning races such as the 12 Hours of Sebring with the Oreca-Matmut team.

In the following years, he distinguished himself in competitions such as the French GT Championship and the Andros Trophy, which he won in 2019 with his son Aurélien. Since 2016, Olivier Panis has been fully committed to the role of Team Principal of Panis Racing, a project which has led him to take part in endurance competitions such as the ELMS and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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