OTD: WATCH Oliver Panis's nasty crash which ended Canadian Grand Prix prematurely

The 1997 Canadian Grand Prix is notably remembered for the severe crash involving French Formula 1 driver Olivier Panis. The incident occurred on June 15, 1997, at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Panis, driving for the Prost Grand Prix team, was having a strong season and was running in the top six positions when the accident happened.

During the race, Panis lost control of his car at Turn 5, a high-speed corner. He collided heavily with the concrete wall, causing a violent impact. The crash was severe enough that it fractured both of Panis's legs. This injury was a significant blow not only to Panis but also to the Prost team, as he was their leading driver at the time.

WATCH Oliver Panis’s accident:

F1 OTD: Oliver Panis 1997 Canadian Grand Prix crash pic.twitter.com/tLSiQYamV4

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The immediate aftermath of the crash saw the deployment of the safety car while medical teams attended to Panis. The race was eventually red-flagged due to the extent of the damage to the barriers and the necessity to extract Panis safely from the wrecked car.

A ‘fortunate victory’ for Michael Schumacher?

The impact of the crash was so much that the Canadian Grand Prix 1997 was ended prematurely with 14 laps of 69 to go. It helped Michael Schumacher to clinch a massive win which was later termed as a fortunate victory by many media houses.

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Notably, Panis's injuries required surgery and a prolonged recovery period, sidelining him for several races. He missed seven Grands Prix, making his return later in the season at the Luxembourg Grand Prix. Despite the severity of his injuries, Panis managed to come back to racing, demonstrating remarkable resilience and determination.

Also WATCH: OTD- Lewis Hamilton's first-ever Grand Prix victory at Montreal in 2007

The 1997 Canadian GP crash had lasting effects on the sport. It prompted discussions on improving driver safety and circuit design to prevent such incidents in the future. The Prost Grand Prix team had to adapt quickly to Panis's absence, bringing in substitutes to fill his seat during his recovery, which eventually didn’t work much.  

Also WATCH: Iconic pit lane fight between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso in Montreal 2010