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The FIA is saddened to learn of the passing of Alex Zanardi, the former Formula 1 driver, two-time CART champion whose journey from life-changing accident to Paralympics gold medallist made him one of sport’s most admired competitors and an enduring symbol of courage and determination.
Commenting on Zanardi’s passing, H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, said: “Alex Zanardi was an incredible sportsman and a remarkable human being. Across motor sport and at Paralympic venues and beyond, he inspired countless people with his courage, passion for competition and a steadfast refusal to be defined by tragedy. The FIA extends its deepest condolences to his family. His legacy will endure as that of one of the most inspirational figures in the history of not just motor sport, but all of sport.”
Born in Bologna, Italy, on 23 October 1966, Alessandro Zanardi began racing karts as a teenager before switching to single-seaters. In 1988 he joined the Italian Formula 3 series on a full-time basis and by 1990, he was a contender for the series championship.
In 1991 he made a major impact in the F3000 series, winning on his debut and taking three victories on his way to second in the championship.
That same year he made his Formula 1 debut with Jordan at the Spanish Grand Prix, in place of another impressive rookie, Michael Schumacher. In all, Zanardi raced 41 times in Formula 1, adding stints with Minardi, Lotus and finally Williams to his time with Jordan, and became known for his intuitive technical understanding, gritty resilience and infectious enthusiasm for the sport he loved.
It was in North America, however, that Zanardi achieved his greatest motor sport success. Joining Chip Ganassi Racing in CART in 1996, he immediately established himself as one of the series’ outstanding talents, winning three races in his rookie season and claiming Rookie of the Year honours. Zanardi went on to win back-to-back CART titles in 1997 and 1998, taking 15 victories in the series.
The success led to his final F1 stint, with Williams. He joined the team in 1999 but in a fallow period for the team he failed to score points and his time with the team ended after a single season.
Zanardi returned to racing in North America and resumed his career in CART in 2001. However, on September 15th, as he headed went into the final laps of the American Memorial CART race at the Lausitzring in Germany, the Italian driver was involved in a devastating accident in which he lost both legs and nearly his life.
That Zanardi survived the crash was notable but the Italian’s response to his life-changing injuries was even more remarkable and became one the greatest stories of determination and resilience in sport. Displaying immense courage, Zanardi battled back to fitness and using hand operated controls returned to racing less than two years later. In 2003 he made an emotional return to the Lausiztring where he completed the 13 laps he had been unable to finish in 2001.
He went on to compete in touring cars, racing in the FIA European Touring Car Championship and later the FIA World Touring Car Championship and GT racing. In 2005 he claimed an emotional WTCC victory at Oschersleben, followed by further wins at Istanbul and Brno, demonstrating once again his exceptional skill and competitive spirit.
Zanardi’s achievements extended beyond motor sport. Taking up handcycling, he was once again immediately competitive and placed fourth in class at the 2007 New York City Marathon after just four weeks training. He went on to become one of the world’s leading Paralympic athletes. At the London 2012 Paralympic Games he won two gold medals and a silver, and at Rio 2016 he added two further golds and another silver. He also achieved major success in marathons, triathlon and endurance events, including record-breaking performances in Ironman competition.
In 2020, Zanardi sustained serious head injuries in a collision with a truck while competing in the Obiettivo Tricolore handbike race in Tuscany. For the second time in his life, he embarked on another long period of rehabilitation, showing the same determination that defined his earlier recovery.
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