Gilles Panizzi

Gilles Roland Joseph Panizzi (born 19 September 1965) is a French former rally driver.

Panizzi was born in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Alpes-Maritimes. Like many of his fellow rally racing countrymen, Panizzi spent a great deal of his developmental driving years participating in asphalt rally events throughout his native land.

Panizzi driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution at the 2005 Cyprus Rally. In 1996 and 1997, Panizzi won the French Championship title in a Peugeot-backed (funded) 306 kit car. It was at that point that he was nominated to drive for Peugeot as their resident asphalt (tarmac/sealed-surface) expert.

Between 1999 and 2003, Panizzi had great success in his role as Peugeot's tarmac expert. He won a total of seven World Rally Championship rounds in this period - all on tarmac. However, Panizzi's inability to match his rivals pace on gravel, mud, and snow precluded him from challenging for the world title while at Peugeot. Panizzi had an embarrassing moment during the 2000 Safari Rally, where he and his brother and co-driver Herve were behind the slower car of Argentine driver Roberto Sanchez, who had not moved over despite being ordered to do so was kicking up dust and blinding the irate Panizzi, who picked up two punctures thanks to the stones thrown up by Sanchez's car. The Panizzi brothers were so furious that after the end of the stage they both ran up to Sanchez's car, opened the door and started physically assaulting the Argentine driver, both trying to pull Sanchez out of his car. The Panizzi brothers actions landed them both a $50,000 fine. He is the only WRC driver to do a (famous) 360 spin at the Viladrau hairpin, which he did at the 2002 Rally Catalunya.

In 2004, Mitsubishi Motor Sports recruited Panizzi and his co-driver and brother, Hervé, to lead the company's charge back in the World Rally Championship.

In the 2005 season, Panizzi was replaced in the lead car by Harri Rovanperä, and guested in the second car with Gianluigi Galli. He finished third at the Monte Carlo Rally, the first event of the season, but only scored points in one other event.

In 2006, Panizzi was signed by the semi-privateer Red Bull Škoda team. Despite a strong performance in the opening rally of the season in Monte Carlo, he expressed his dissatisfaction at the performance of his car, and after a disappointing showing in Spain, he announced his departure from the team, and was replaced by his former Peugeot teammate Harri Rovanperä.

Panizzi later participated in two Intercontinental Rally Challenge events - the 2007 Rallye Sanremo with the Peugeot 207 S2000 and 2010 Rallye Sanremo with Proton Satria Neo S2000, finishing respectively 8th and 22nd.

The 2021 Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine saw Panizzi's one-off rallying return. He used a Hyundai i20 R5, finishing 15th overall.

WRC victories

Event Season Co-driver Car 1 44ème V-Rally Tour de Corse - Rallye de France 2000 Hervé Panizzi Peugeot 206 WRC 2 42º Rallye Sanremo - Rallye d'Italia 2000 Hervé Panizzi Peugeot 206 WRC 3 43º Rallye Sanremo - Rallye d'Italia 2001 Hervé Panizzi Peugeot 206 WRC 4 46ème Rallye de France - Tour de Corse 2002 Hervé Panizzi Peugeot 206 WRC 5 38º Rallye Catalunya-Costa Brava (Rallye de España) 2002 Hervé Panizzi Peugeot 206 WRC 6 44º Rallye Sanremo - Rallye d'Italia 2002 Hervé Panizzi Peugeot 206 WRC 7 39º Rallye Catalunya-Costa Brava (Rallye de España) 2003 Hervé Panizzi Peugeot 206 WRC

Complete WRC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Points 1990 Gilles Panizzi Lancia Delta Integrale MON16 POR KEN FRA GRE NZL ARG FIN AUS ITA CIV GBR NC 0 1993 Gilles Panizzi Peugeot 106 XSi MON SWE POR KEN FRARet GRE ARG NZL FIN AUS ITA ESP GBR NC 0 1995 Peugeot Sport Peugeot 306 S16 MON SWE POR FRA12 NZL AUS ESP GBR NC 0 1997 Peugeot Sport Peugeot 306 Maxi MON SWE KEN POR ESP3 FRA3 ARG GRE NZL FIN IDN ITA AUS GBR 10th 8 1998 Peugeot Sport Peugeot 306 Maxi MON9 SWE KEN POR ESP6 FRA4 ARG GRE NZL ITA5 AUS 12th 6 Gilles Panizzi Peugeot 106 Rallye FIN35 Subaru Impreza WRX GBRRet 1999 Gilles Panizzi Subaru Impreza WRC 98 MONRet SWE KEN POR ESP 10th 6 Peugeot Esso Peugeot 206 WRC FRARet ARG GRE NZL FIN33 CHN ITA2 AUS GBR7 2000 Peugeot Esso Peugeot 206 WRC MONRet SWE KENRet POR ESP6 ARG GRE NZL FIN CYP FRA1 ITA1 AUSRet GBR8 7th 21 2001 Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC MONRet SWE ESP2 ARG ITA1 FRA2 AUS9 8th 22 H.F. Grifone SRL POR12 CYPRet GRERet KEN FIN14 NZL GBRRet 2002 Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC MON7 FRA1 ESP1 CYP10 ARGRet KEN6 FIN GER ITA1 NZL7 AUS 6th 31 Bozian Racing SWE16 GRERet GBR11 2003 Marlboro Peugeot Total Peugeot 206 WRC MONRet SWE GER10 FIN AUS ITA2 FRA6 ESP1 10th 27 Bozian Racing TUR5 NZL ARG GRE7 CYPRet GBRRet 2004 Mitsubishi Motors Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 04 MON6 SWERet MEX8 NZLRet CYPRet GRE10 TURRet ARG7 FIN11 GERRet JPN GBR ITA FRA ESP12 AUS 13th 6 2005 Mitsubishi Motors Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05 MON3 SWE MEX8 NZL ITA CYP11 TUR GRE ARG FIN GER GBR JPN11 FRARet ESP AUS 15th 7 2006 Red Bull Škoda Škoda Fabia WRC MON10 SWE MEX ESP10 FRA ARG ITA GRE GER FIN JPN CYP TUR AUS NZL GBR NC 0