Panis overwhelmed by emotion: 'I almost threw my TV against the wall'

Olivier Panis still has a lot of prestige in France. For years he drove his laps in Formula 1, modestly in the middle or sometimes in the rear. But his spectacular victory in Monaco in 1996 has put him on a pedestal forever with the French.

Unbearable

Panis has also been following the denouement of the Formula 1 season closely. To the French Autohebdo He tells about the last race in Abu Dhabi, in which he found the tension almost unbearable. "I was experiencing all sorts of emotions," Panis said. "In the last lap I almost wanted to grab my television to throw it against the wall."

According to Panis, the season was one of pure highlights. He confessed to the French medium that he had not seen a Grand Prix, which he later thought was a long time ago. "I had just recovered from the last one (race) and already I had a new adrenaline rush," Panis said, also praising race winner Esteban Ocon (in Hungary) of the French Alpine team.

Duel at the top

Panis was particularly struck by the intense battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. His words that it was epic, magnificent and magical actually say it all. "This duel at the top, magnified by the personalities of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Rarely have drivers reached such a level of precision and daring."