French driver Olivier Panis secured his sole Formula 1 victory during a rain-soaked and attrition-filled Monaco Grand Prix on May 19, 1996. Starting 14th for the underdog Ligier team, he navigated multiple incidents to take the chequered flag.
Panis qualified 14th after electronics issues limited his runs. He shone in the wet warm-up and predicted a strong result to his wife, citing the rain as a leveller. The race began with Michael Schumacher leading from pole before crashing at Portier on lap one, while Damon Hill assumed the lead ahead of Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger.
