By Huw Alban (30/05/03)
May 30 2003

Speaking to the UK newspaper, The Daily Telegraph, Olivier Panis has been explaining why Monaco is such a special place for him and the Formula One paddock, and why at the age of 36 he is still in the seat of an F1 car. When the grid forms up on Sunday in Monaco, there will be three former winners in the mix of teams. Names like Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard are easily guessed at, but it is saddos like me who remember Oliver Panis crossing a soaking Monte Carlo finish line in a Ligier to claim victory in 1996 (my first year of following the sport).

Despite this being a long time ago, the Frenchman has revealed to the Daily Telegraph that it is 'that winning feeling' that has kept him in the sport. With a budget like the one at Toyota's disposal, one would have thought that at least one of the Toyota drivers would have been on the podium by now. This site was feeling very enthusiastic during the pre-season build up with the team completing successful test after succesful test, and posting competitive times to boot.

Since the team took to the competitive track, reliability has dogged each race, and against the odds Cristiano da Matta scored the teams maiden points this season after a rare trouble free race in Austria. In fairness, Toyota, seem to be following the second year trend for new teams - the first year tending to be strong, and the second less so even though the general opinion is that there should be an improvement. I remember watching the Stewart-Ford team do a lot of their developement, in public, at Grand Prix weekends throughout 1997 and '98, with successive Ford engines munching themselves race after race. Toyota are not in that league, but under the ever watchful eye of the public and the media the team are not living up to their pre-season expectations.

Sat in the Toyota motor home yesterday in Monaco, Oliver admitted to the Daily Telegraph that the dream of a second win has kept him hooked on the sport. "That is why I stay in Formula One. I have very good memories of my win here, but it was a long time ago."

Toyota's performance at Monaco on Thursday is reminicant of Austria, where the team struggled for grip, but Olivier is still confident that Toyota can overcome the difficulties and move forward. "It is a little bit of a shame not to do well here," he said. "But we have good people, and if we work very hard I am sure we can make progress. I love this place. It is the best race for sure for the spectators, the journalists, for the television. It is a special place with a very special atmosphere. To come through Casino Square is a fantastic feeling. But you have to be careful here. The track can be so dusty, and if you take a risk in Monte Carlo, you pay in cash."

As the interview finished, the Telegraph noted that there were dark clouds gathering over the principality and that rain was starting to fall. "Lousy weather which might well serve to improve Panis' mood," the newspaper mused. Take a look at Yahoo! - thunderstorms for Friday and Sunday in Monte Carlo are forecast. Can Olivier do it again, but this time in a Toyota ?