Former pilot and Paralympic athlete Alex Zanardi dies at 59

The former Formula 1 driver and Italian Paralympic athlete Alex Zanardi died on Saturday at the age of 59, as confirmed by his family, after a life marked by the serious accident suffered in 2001 in a CART race, after which he had to have both legs amputated, and by a successful career as a Paralympic cyclist, with four golds and six medals in the Games.

The one from Bologna began his sporting career as a driver and competed during the nineties in Formula 1 with Jordan, Minardi, Lotus and Williams during 41 Grand Prix. His best period was with Lotus in 1993 and 1994, where he achieved his best result, sixth place, in the Brazilian Grand Prix.

After his time in the ‘Big Circus’, he won two IndyCar titles, but during his period in CART in 2001, he suffered a serious accident at the Lausitzring circuit in Germany. Zanardi survived, but to save his life both of his legs had to be amputated: one at the knee and the other at the hip.

Only two years after the accident, he returned to the tracks in the European Touring Car Championship with an adapted car, and in the World Touring Car Championship he returned to the top of the podium.

In addition, Zanardi began a career in adaptive cycling and participated representing Italy in the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, with a harvest of four gold medals and two silver. In the British capital, it premiered with two gold medals and one silver, and in Brazil it won again.

In 2020, he suffered serious injuries in a traffic accident while riding his handcycle in Siena, northern Italy, resulting in head trauma and neurological injuries that again required him to undergo several operations.

The president and CEO of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicali, a great friend of Zanardi, highlighted that he was “a truly inspiring person, both as a human being and as an athlete.” “I will always carry with me his extraordinary strength. He faced challenges that would have stopped anyone, but he continued to look forward, always with a smile and an unwavering determination that inspired us all,” he acknowledged.

“While his loss is deeply felt, his legacy remains strong. At this time, my sincerest condolences and thoughts are with his wife Daniela, his son Niccolò, the rest of the family and all those who had the privilege of knowing him,” he continued.

The Italian Paralympic Committee also mourned Zanardi’s death. “The Italian Paralympic Committee accompanies the family and the entire sports movement in mourning, paying tribute to an athlete who redefined borders and the very meaning of the word impossible,” said its president, Marco Giunio De Sanctis.