Aurélien Panis to race with no track experience this afternoon at Zandvoort

WTCC driver Aurélien Panis faces an interesting challenge at Zandoort on Sunday afternoon, as the French driver will take part in the day’s final two sprint races with no time on track in the Boutsen Ginion Honda Civic TCR.

The car suffered with electrical issues throughout Friday and Saturday, with co-driver Stéphane Lémeret able to make a brief run in the qualifying long race which put the car on pole position for Sprint Race 1, where he went on to take the victory after the car’s issues resolved this morning.

That leaves Panis to start the third sprint race from 12th and last of the TCR cars on the grid, having never turned a wheel at the Circuit Zandvoort.

“It’ll be a bit difficult for sure as I don’t know this track,” said Panis to TouringCarTimes. “It’ll be my first time with this car on this track, so I’ll take the first race to get experience and learn the track, and in the second race I’ll try to push a bit more, but it’s certainly a tricky situation.”

Panis was recruited by the Boutsen Ginion team to run with reigning champion Stéphane Lémeret this weekend, with the Belgian out of contention for a second title as his 24 Hours of Le Mans commitments mean he won’t complete the full season. Panis’s aim was to gain more experience as he transitions from rear-wheel drive single-seaters to touring cars this year.

“It was a good opportunity for me to come here and to drive a bit more in a front-wheel drive car, but we’ve had this problem with the electrical system, so I’ll just try to enjoy a bit my two races,” he added.