SEPTEMBER 25, 2003

Bad news for Panis

Olivier Panis's United States Grand Prix weekend did not get off to a good start when news came from France that his father Philippe has been arrested, along with 13 others, on charges of being involved in a ring selling stolen cars. Panis was arrested at his garage in Grenoble on Tuesday by investigators from Marseilles. He was charged on Wednesday.

The prosecutors are claiming that Panis was part of a group selling Mercedes-Benz 4x4 vehicles stolen in Switzerland.