Gilles Panizzi is famous for three things: his awesome pace on tarmac; his outrageous donut while on his way to victory in the 2002 Catalunya Rally; and the piercing, goggle-eyed expression that's a constant feature of his work behind the wheel.
Those famous blue eyes are focused on me now as Panizzi enthuses about his new role as Mitsubishi's rally team leader. We're in a small room on the Mitsubishi stand at the Essen Motor Show, which is the European equivalent of SEMA. In a couple of hour's time, the team will officially launch the Lancer WRC04, but for now, Panizzi is happy to chat.
At 38 years old, the Frenchman is a late developer in an age obsessed with youth. He made his rally debut in an Opel Manta in 1987, but he didn't turn pro (with Peugeot) until 1994, and it wasn't until 1999 that he got to sit behind the wheel of a World Rally Car. Panizzi's age is reflected in his lined, weathered face, but he has the gaunt, hungry look of the genuinely fit.
"My English is not good," he begins, "but I think it is improving and it will get better as the season progresses." You sense that his lack of vocabulary is as frustrating to the man as it is to his interviewer. His tiny frame is packed with forthright opinions that cannot be properly expressed. Panizzi talks with a passion and purpose, and every expression is accompanied by a wave of the hand. He is an endearing, Gallic character in an era of PR-friendly robo-drivers.
"It wasn't easy to leave Peugeot because I started in the WRC [World Rally Championship] with them," he continues. "But it was necessary because with Peugeot I could not do all the rallies or all the tests. I could not build up my confidence." The word "confidence" is used in every other sentence and you quickly realize that what he's actually saying is, 'you have not seen the best of me.'
On asphalt, Panizzi and the 206 were all but unbeatable, especially in 2002, when he won all three of the tarmac rallies he entered. His team mate, Richard Burns was left in awe of his ability: "Marcus [Gronholm] is very fast on gravel, but I can understand how he does those times," explained Burns. "With Gilles on asphalt it's a different story. I don't see how the car can be driven that quickly."
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