Gilles Panizzi
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| Gilles Panizzi | |
|---|---|
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Nationality |  French |
| Active years | 1990 - 2006 |
| Teams | Peugeot, Mitsubishi |
| World rallies | 71 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 7 |
| Podium finishes | 14 |
| Stage wins | 91 |
| Points | 134 |
| First world rally | 1990 Monte Carlo Rally |
| First win | 2000 Tour de Corse |
| Last win | 2003 Rally Catalunya |
| Last world rally | 2006 Rally Catalunya |
| edit | |
Gilles Panizzi is a driver on the World Rally Championship circuit for the Mitsubishi Motorsport organization.
Gilles was born in Roquebrune C.M., France on 19 September 1965. Like many of his fellow rally racing countrymen, Gilles spent a great deal of his developmental driving years participating in asphalt rally events throughout his native land.
In 1996 and 1997, Gilles 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.
In 2004, Mitsubishi Motorsports recruited Gilles and his co-driver and brother, Hervé, to lead the company's charge back in the World Rally Championship.
In the 2005 season, Gilles was replaced in the lead car by Harri Rovanperä, and guested in the second car with Gianluigi Galli. He finished 3rd at the Monaco rally, the first event of the season, but only scored points in one other event.
[edit] Career highlights
2004
- Joins the Mitsubishi World Rally Team.
- Finishes 6th in the Monte Carlo Rally.
2003
- Finishes 2nd in Rally Sanremo.
- Wins the Rally de España (Spain Rally).
2002
- Captures 3 wins: Corsica (France), Spain and Sanremo.
[edit] Sources
- WRC.com - the official World Rally Championship website.
- Official Website - note: inactive as of April 2006
