1. Gilles Panizzi was born on 19 September 1965 and is a French former rally driver.
10 Facts About Gilles Panizzi
1. 2.
In 1996 and 1997, Gilles Panizzi won the French Championship title in a Peugeot-backed 306 kit car.
3.
Between 1999 and 2003 Gilles Panizzi had great success in his role as Peugeot's tarmac expert.
4.
Gilles Panizzi won a total of seven World Rally Championship rounds in this period - all on tarmac.
5.
The Gilles 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.
6.
Gilles Panizzi is the only WRC driver to do a 360 spin at the Viladrau hairpin, which he did at the 2002 Rally Catalunya.
7.
Gilles Panizzi finished third at the Monte Carlo Rally, the first event of the season, but only scored points in one other event.
8.
Gilles Panizzi later participated in 2 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.
9.
The 2021 Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine saw Gilles Panizzi's one-off rallying return.
10.
Gilles Panizzi used a Hyundai i20 R5, finishing 15th overall.