Olivier Panis
born 2 Sept 1966 · raced 1994–2004
Olivier Panis, a French Formula 1 driver, is best known for his improbable victory at the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix, starting 14th in a chaotic, rain-affected race. Despite a career spanning 157 starts, this remained his sole win, highlighting a tenacious yet often unheralded talent in the midfield. He drove for Ligier, Prost, BAR, and Toyota, consistently demonstrating his racecraft and an ability to seize rare opportunities. Panis was a dependable, experienced figure in the paddock, respected for his pragmatic approach and enduring presence.
All-time records
Where Olivier Panis ranks in the all-time Formula 1 record books.
- =10th in F1 Wins From Furthest Back on the Grid (14)
Top Circuits
Circuit | Wins | Avg ptsAvg Points (as awarded) |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit de Monaco | 1 | 1.4 |
| Hockenheimring | 0 | 1.22 |
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway | 0 | 1 |
| Autódromo José Carlos Pace | 0 | 1 |
| Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya | 0 | 0.7 |
| Silverstone Circuit | 0 | 0.56 |
| Hungaroring | 0 | 0.44 |
| Red Bull Ring | 0 | 0.4 |
| Circuit Gilles Villeneuve | 0 | 0.4 |
| Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit | 0 | 0.25 |
Points are Grand Prix points as awarded at the time (sprints excluded); average points are per race started.
Most-shared teammates. Each link opens their head-to-head.
- Jacques Villeneuve34 shared races · Compare with Jacques Villeneuve (2002)
- Jarno Trulli30 shared races · Compare with Jarno Trulli (1999)
- Cristiano da Matta28 shared races · Compare with Cristiano da Matta (2003)
- Pedro Diniz16 shared races · Compare with Pedro Diniz (1996)
- Éric Bernard13 shared races · Compare with Éric Bernard (1994)
- Martin Brundle11 shared races · Compare with Martin Brundle (1995)
| Season | Team | Matchup | Race |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Toyota | da Matta vs PanisCristiano da Matta vs Olivier Panis | 6–5 |
| 2004 | Toyota | Panis vs ZontaOlivier Panis vs Ricardo Zonta | 3–1 |
| 2003 | Toyota | da Matta vs PanisCristiano da Matta vs Olivier Panis | 10–6 |
| 2002 | BAR | Panis vs VilleneuveOlivier Panis vs Jacques Villeneuve | 6–11 |
| 2001 | BAR | Panis vs VilleneuveOlivier Panis vs Jacques Villeneuve | 7–10 |
| 1999 | Prost | Panis vs TrulliOlivier Panis vs Jarno Trulli | 6–9 |
| 1998 | Prost | Panis vs TrulliOlivier Panis vs Jarno Trulli | 9–6 |
| 1997 | Prost | Nakano vs PanisShinji Nakano vs Olivier Panis | 2–8 |
| 1996 | Ligier | Diniz vs PanisPedro Diniz vs Olivier Panis | 5–11 |
| 1995 | Ligier | Brundle vs PanisMartin Brundle vs Olivier Panis | 4–7 |
| 1995 | Ligier | Panis vs SuzukiOlivier Panis vs Aguri Suzuki | 3–2 |
| 1994 | Ligier | Bernard vs PanisÉric Bernard vs Olivier Panis | 3–10 |
19 circuitsShow all▾
- Circuit de Monaco
- Hockenheimring
- Autódromo José Carlos Pace
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
- Silverstone Circuit
- Hungaroring
- Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
- Red Bull Ring
- Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit
- Suzuka Circuit
- Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
- Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
- Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
- Nürburgring
- Sepang International Circuit
- Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
- Autódromo Juan y Oscar Gálvez
- Autódromo do Estoril
200417 racesToyota▾
| Grand Prix | Grid | Result | PtsPoints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | P14 | 0 | |
| 8 | P14 | 0 | |
| 13 | Collision | 0 | |
| 9 | P8 | 1 | |
| 13 | P11 | 0 | |
| 9 | P14 | 0 | |
| 17 | Accident | 0 | |
| 14 | P15 | 0 | |
| 8 | P56 places better than season average (P11.2) | 4 | |
| 13 | Disqualified | 0 | |
| 10 | P11 | 0 | |
| 13 | P8 | 1 | |
| 7 | Hydraulics | 0 | |
| 13 | P11 | 0 | |
| 8 | P9 | 0 | |
| 14 | P12 | 0 | |
| 18 | P13 | 0 |
▲/▼ a finish at least 4 places better/worse than Olivier Panis’s average finish in 2004 (P11.2, retirements excluded).
Earlier seasons1994–2003 (9 seasons)▾
200316 racesToyota▾
| Grand Prix | Grid | Result | PtsPoints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | P10 | 0 | |
| 3 | Accident | 0 | |
| 9 | Brakes | 0 | |
| 10 | Gearbox | 0 | |
| 7 | P54 places better than season average (P9.1) | 4 | |
| 13 | P11 | 0 | |
| 10 | P8 | 1 | |
| 7 | Spun off | 0 | |
| 7 | P8 | 1 | |
| 17 | P13 | 0 | |
| 11 | Suspension | 0 | |
| 6 | Gearbox | 0 | |
| 10 | P9 | 0 | |
| 15 | Collision | 0 | |
| 10 | Fuel pressure | 0 | |
| 5 | Fuel pressure | 0 |
▲/▼ a finish at least 4 places better/worse than Olivier Panis’s average finish in 2003 (P9.1, retirements excluded).
200217 racesBAR▾
| Grand Prix | Grid | Result | PtsPoints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Mechanical | 0 | |
| 12 | P12 | 0 | |
| 16 | P6 | 1 | |
| 15 | P12 | 0 | |
| 12 | P12 | 0 | |
| 7 | Engine | 0 | |
| 11 | Accident | 0 | |
| 13 | P54 places better than season average (P9.1) | 2 | |
| 12 | P9 | 0 | |
| 11 | P8 | 0 | |
| 18 | Collision | 0 | |
| 9 | Engine | 0 | |
| 13 | Exhaust | 0 | |
| 12 | Throttle | 0 | |
| 17 | Gearbox | 0 | |
| 18 | Clutch | 0 | |
| 12 | Collision | 0 |
▲/▼ a finish at least 4 places better/worse than Olivier Panis’s average finish in 2002 (P9.1, retirements excluded).
200117 racesBAR▾
| Grand Prix | Grid | Result | PtsPoints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | P135 places worse than season average (P8.3) | 0 | |
| 13 | P11 | 0 | |
| 17 | P9 | 0 | |
| 11 | P11 | 0 | |
| 11 | Electrical | 0 | |
| 13 | P7 | 0 | |
| 11 | Collision | 0 | |
| 11 | P9 | 0 | |
| 13 | Electrical | 0 | |
| 6 | Brakes | 0 | |
| 12 | Steering | 0 | |
| 10 | P5 | 2 | |
| 11 | P7 | 0 | |
| 8 | P8 | 0 | |
| 11 | P44 places better than season average (P8.3) | 3 | |
| 10 | Oil leak | 0 | |
| 9 | P7 | 0 |
▲/▼ a finish at least 4 places better/worse than Olivier Panis’s average finish in 2001 (P8.3, retirements excluded).
199916 racesProst▾
| Grand Prix | Grid | Result | PtsPoints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Alternator | 0 | |
| 12 | Engine | 0 | |
| 5 | P9 | 0 | |
| 10 | P11 | 0 | |
| 17 | P13 | 0 | |
| 14 | P10 | 0 | |
| 7 | P6 | 1 | |
| 18 | P10 | 0 | |
| 15 | P13 | 0 | |
| 3 | P8 | 0 | |
| 15 | P9 | 0 | |
| 15 | Gearbox | 0 | |
| 18 | Engine | 0 | |
| 11 | Throttle | 0 | |
| 12 | P6 | 1 | |
| 20 | Wheel | 0 |
199816 racesProst▾
| Grand Prix | Grid | Result | PtsPoints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | P11 | 0 | |
| 15 | P12 | 0 | |
| 9 | Vibrations | 0 | |
| 14 | Collision | 0 | |
| 20 | P12 | 0 | |
| 16 | P15 | 0 | |
| 10 | Clutch | 0 | |
| 22 | Spun off | 0 | |
| 16 | P11 | 0 | |
| 15 | Spun off | 0 | |
| 18 | Wheel | 0 | |
| 12 | P16 | 0 | |
| 13 | P11 | 0 | |
| 15 | P15 | 0 | |
| 9 | Engine | 0 | |
| 21 | P9 | 0 |
199710 racesProst▾
| Grand Prix | Grid | Result | PtsPoints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | P7 | 0 | |
| 10 | Engine | 0 | |
| 11 | P6 | 1 | |
| 10 | P115 places worse than season average (P5.8) | 0 | |
| 12 | P2 | 6 | |
| 12 | P4 | 3 | |
| 4 | P8 | 0 | |
| 3 | Electrical | 0 | |
| 5 | P3 | 4 | |
| 9 | P5 | 2 |
▲/▼ a finish at least 4 places better/worse than Olivier Panis’s average finish in 1997 (P5.8, retirements excluded).
199616 races, 1 winLigier▾
| Grand Prix | Grid | Result | PtsPoints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | P7 | 0 | |
| 15 | P10 | 0 | |
| 11 | Spun off | 0 | |
| 14 | Collision | 0 | |
| 11 | P5 | 2 | |
| 12 | P7 | 0 | |
| 16 | Handling | 0 | |
| 9 | P7 | 0 | |
| 11 | Engine | 0 | |
| 8 | Collision | 0 | |
| 14 | P15 places better than season average (P6.4) | 10 | |
| 13 | Engine | 0 | |
| 15 | Collision | 0 | |
| 12 | P8 | 0 | |
| 15 | P6 | 1 | |
| 11 | P7 | 0 |
▲/▼ a finish at least 4 places better/worse than Olivier Panis’s average finish in 1996 (P6.4, retirements excluded).
199517 racesLigier▾
| Grand Prix | Grid | Result | PtsPoints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | P24 places better than season average (P6.2) | 6 | |
| 11 | P5 | 2 | |
| 9 | P8 | 0 | |
| 14 | Spun off | 0 | |
| 11 | Spun off | 0 | |
| 13 | Spun off | 0 | |
| 9 | P9 | 0 | |
| 10 | P6 | 1 | |
| 12 | Water leak | 0 | |
| 13 | P4 | 3 | |
| 6 | P8 | 0 | |
| 11 | P4 | 3 | |
| 12 | Spun off | 0 | |
| 15 | P6 | 1 | |
| 12 | P9 | 0 | |
| 18 | P7 | 0 | |
| 10 | Collision | 0 |
▲/▼ a finish at least 4 places better/worse than Olivier Panis’s average finish in 1995 (P6.2, retirements excluded).
199416 racesLigier▾
| Grand Prix | Grid | Result | PtsPoints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | P5 | 2 | |
| 19 | P11 | 0 | |
| 11 | P9 | 0 | |
| 15 | Disqualified | 0 | |
| 6 | P10 | 0 | |
| 17 | P7 | 0 | |
| 9 | P6 | 1 | |
| 12 | P27 places better than season average (P8.6) | 6 | |
| 15 | P12 | 0 | |
| 13 | Collision | 0 | |
| 19 | P12 | 0 | |
| 19 | P7 | 0 | |
| 20 | P9 | 0 | |
| 19 | P11 | 0 | |
| 22 | P9 | 0 | |
| 19 | P11 | 0 |
▲/▼ a finish at least 4 places better/worse than Olivier Panis’s average finish in 1994 (P8.6, retirements excluded).