Panis turns Canute to Command water.

With no time to drive his regular BAR-Honda 003 in Monaco yesterday, Olivier Panis found the next best thing for escaping the crowded streets.

The Frenchman took to the water in an attempt to avoid the jam-packed alleys and boulevards of the Principality - behind the wheel of an 1800cc diesel-engined car!

The Dutton Commander is an amphibious car just as much at home on the road as it is in the water, and capable of speeds of up to 130kph, or 6 knots. Although used to rather more power, Panis appeared to be having fun as he piloted the unusual, Lucky Strike-liveried, machine around Monaco's famous harbour.

"I really enjoyed driving it - it's certainly different," he commented, "It hasn't got a lot of power, but it drives just like a boat and is great fun."

Whilst possibly no match for Honda's race-bred powerboat on the water, Panis' new machine can claim to be more select, as it is one of only 50 Duttons in the world, each one hand-built by Briton Tim Dutton.