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Olivier Panis has decided to end his Formula One career at the end of this year. He has been under contract with the Toyota team as a test driver.

Panis who won the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix driving a Ligier is pursuing new racing challenges outside Formula One.

In a statement issued by Toyota Racing, Olivier Panis said:

Toyota has made much progress and I am happy to have been a part of this. The team was always very motivated and still is. I am really positive about the job the whole team has done and will miss everyone I have worked with, yet I know that it is time for me to move on and fulfil my wish to race again. I am looking forward to new racing challenges outside Formula 1 but I will keep a close eye on Toyota's performance and hope they achieve all the success they deserve.

Panasonic Toyota Racing Team Principal, Tsutomu Tomita, said:

We are very thankful to Olivier for the high level of commitment he put into working with the whole team all along our four years of collaboration. His technical experience and human qualities greatly contributed to our team development as much as to the improvement of its overall performance. We understand and accept his desire to continue racing. We thank him for sharing his know-how and will support him in whatever he chooses to do.

With Panis retiring and Zonta moving to Renault, Toyota are expected to finalise a deal with Franck Montagny for a testing role as well as promoting one of the drivers participating in the Toyota Young Drivers Programme.

I wonder where he is going. I am sure Toyota will miss his imput.

Ed wrote:Olivier Panis has decided to end his Formula One career at the end of this year. He has been under contract with the Toyota team as a test driver.

Panis who won the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix driving a Ligier is pursuing new racing challenges outside Formula One.

In a statement issued by Toyota Racing, Olivier Panis said:

Toyota has made much progress and I am happy to have been a part of this. The team was always very motivated and still is. I am really positive about the job the whole team has done and will miss everyone I have worked with, yet I know that it is time for me to move on and fulfil my wish to race again. I am looking forward to new racing challenges outside Formula 1 but I will keep a close eye on Toyota's performance and hope they achieve all the success they deserve.

Panasonic Toyota Racing Team Principal, Tsutomu Tomita, said:

We are very thankful to Olivier for the high level of commitment he put into working with the whole team all along our four years of collaboration. His technical experience and human qualities greatly contributed to our team development as much as to the improvement of its overall performance. We understand and accept his desire to continue racing. We thank him for sharing his know-how and will support him in whatever he chooses to do.

With Panis retiring and Zonta moving to Renault, Toyota are expected to finalise a deal with Franck Montagny for a testing role as well as promoting one of the drivers participating in the Toyota Young Drivers Programme.

I have been a Panis supporter for years. He, just like so much other frontline F1 talent [eg: Mika Salo, Nicola Larini, Alan McNish, Norberto Fontana, Alez Zanardi, Tom Kristiansen, etc.], has been squandered by the powers that be in Formula 1. After his spectacular win at Monaco, he should have been driving one of the best cars the following season. What did he get? Testing contracts!

He was a great contributor to F1, and I believe his potential was never realised