Olivier Panis to join Matech at Pail Ricard

Olivier Panis invited by Matech Competition at Paul Ricard

For the single FIA GT1 round in France, Olivier will drive a Matech Ford GT1 on the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit...He knows this track very well because his official team in Le Mans Series and Le Mans 24 Hours is based nearby !

After 10 years in Formula 1 and many successes in the Andros Trophy, Olivier Panis found his way back to the tracks in 2009 when he entered GT FFSA. He is about to try a new adventure in FIA GT1 World Championship where he will compete for the first time, replacing Cyndie Allemann who ran the first half of the season. Despite promising results and increasing performances, the Swiss driver won't be able to finish her season with Matech Competition due to personal and professional schedule issues.

For the fourth FIA GT1 round, Matech Competition will have two former Formula 1 drivers in its ranks : Romain Grosjean and Olivier Panis !

Leading the drivers championship, Romain Grosjean and Thomas Mutsch will do their best to keep this leadership with their Matech Ford GT1 no.5 whereas Olivier Panis will drive the Matech Ford GT1 no.6 for the first time with Natacha Gachnang.

Olivier Panis : "I am delighted to take part in this round with Matech Competition, a profesionnal team with very good results this year. I have always enjoyed driving on the Castellet circuit because this is the place where I drove a single seater for the first time and I have already run a lot of races here. But that will be the first time I share my seat with a woman, Natacha Gachnang, who shows a great determination."

-source: matech comp