Gilles Panizzi

Gilles Panizzi
Born	(1965-09-19) September 19, 1965 Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France
Occupation	Rally driver
Years active	1990–2010, 2021
Known for	Proficiency on asphalt rally stages, seven WRC victories on paved surfaces

Gilles Panizzi (born 19 September 1965) is a retired French rally driver celebrated for his proficiency on asphalt rally stages.

Originating from Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Panizzi honed his rallying talents predominantly on French tarmac events. He clinched the French Championship titles in 1996 and 1997 behind the wheel of a 306 kit car supported by Peugeot. These achievements paved the way for his appointment as Peugeot's dedicated tarmac specialist.

From 1999 through 2003, Panizzi achieved seven victories in the World Rally Championship, all on paved surfaces, cementing his reputation as Peugeot's foremost expert on asphalt. Nevertheless, his comparatively weaker results on gravel, snow, and mud hindered his chances of securing the overall world championship. A notable incident occurred at the 2000 Safari Rally when Panizzi and his co-driver brother Hervé were penalized with a $50,000 fine following a confrontation with Argentine competitor Roberto Sanchez, triggered by dust-related visibility issues and puncture problems.

Panizzi is also remembered for executing an iconic 360-degree spin maneuver at the Viladrau hairpin during the 2002 Rally Catalunya.

In 2004, Mitsubishi Motor Sports enlisted Panizzi and Hervé to lead their World Rally Championship campaign. The subsequent year saw him replaced by Harri Rovanperä in Mitsubishi’s primary vehicle, although he continued to participate as a wildcard driver, notably securing third place at the Monte Carlo Rally.

By 2006, Panizzi joined the semi-private Red Bull Škoda squad. Despite a promising start at Monte Carlo, inconsistent performances later in the season led to his departure mid-year, with Rovanperä once again taking over his seat.

Following his WRC tenure, Panizzi competed in two events of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge: finishing eighth at the 2007 Rallye Sanremo driving a Peugeot 207 S2000, and placing 22nd in the 2010 edition piloting a Proton Satria Neo S2000.

He made a brief comeback to rallying at the 2021 Rallye Mont-Blanc Morzine in a Hyundai i20 R5, concluding the event in fifteenth position 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

Comprehensive WRC Results

Year	Team	Vehicle	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	Championship Position	Points
1990	Gilles Panizzi	Lancia Delta Integrale	1990 Monte Carlo Rally 16												colspan=4 |	NC	0
(Subsequent years abbreviated for conciseness)
1998 World Rally Championship season	Peugeot Sport	Peugeot 306 Maxi	1998 Monte Carlo Rally 9				1998 Rallye Catalunya 6	1998 Tour de Corse 4				1998 Rallye Sanremo 5	colspan=4 |	12th	6
	Gilles Panizzi	Peugeot 106 Rallye colspan=9 |	1998 Rally Finland 35 colspan=6 |
(Following years summarized for brevity)
2002 World Rally Championship season	Peugeot Total	Peugeot 206 WRC	2002 Monte Carlo Rally 7		2002 Tour de Corse 1	2002 Rally Catalunya 1	2002 Cyprus Rally 10	2002 Rally Argentina Ret		2002 Safari Rally 6			2002 Rallye Sanremo 1	2002 Rally New Zealand 7	colspan=3 |	6th	31
	(Additional seasons and entries continue in the same structure, omitted here for brevity)

Sources

• WRC.com - the official website of the World Rally Championship
• Official Website - inactive since April 2006