F1 – Motor racing and the wider world of sport mourned Alex Zanardi yesterday after the former Formula One driver and CART champion, who became an inspirational Paralympic gold medallist after losing his legs in a racing crash, died at 59.
Zanardi, from Bologna, made his F1 debut in 1991 and won the US-based CART series in 1997 and 1998. He also returned to Formula One with Williams in 1999.
The Italian’s life took a dramatic turn in September 2001 when he was involved in a high-speed crash during a CART race at Germany’s Lausitzring while leading.
He had both legs amputated above the knee, with his heart stopping seven times as he lost all but a litre of the blood in his body, but when he left hospital it was with hope and a smile.
Zanardi returned to the cockpit, completing the missing 13 laps of the Lausitzring race in 2003 with hand controls installed, and also raced in the European Touring Car Championship.
He then turned to para-cycling, becoming one of Italy’s most successful Paralympic athletes and winning four gold medals and two silver medals at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Games.
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