The latest news from the Formula 1 ...

Published on 16 June 1997 by Verstappen Info Page

The latest news from the Formula 1 sickbay: It looks like that besides Olivier Panis also Gerhard Berger will be out of action for the time being. It is said that the Austrian has to undergo another operation this week.

Olivier Panis withstood the four hour operation on his legs well. The Frenchman hopes to be moved to a hospital in his home country this week. Expectations are that he will be out of action for about three months. During this period he will probably be replaced by fellow Frenchman Emmanuel Collard. Tomorrow Collard will test for the Prost team after which Alain Prost will take a decision. Collard is not really a stranger to the team, he had been the team's testdriver in the past.
Last year Collard won the Porsche Supercup which was held as a support program at most of the Grand Prix. Collard drove in the 24 hours of Le Mans last weekend only to saw his chances of victory go up in smoke, quite literally that is. Leading the race, teammate Ralf Kelleners had to park the burning Porsche with only two hours to go.