Alex Zanardi#CART return and Lausitzring crash

Alex Zanardi was born in Bologna, Italy on 23 October 1966, son of Dino and Anna Zanardi. His family moved to the town of Castel Maggiore on the city's outskirts when he was four years of age.{{cite book | last = Zanardi | first = Alex | title = Alex Zanardi: My Story | publisher = Haynes Publishing | location = City | year = 2004 | isbn = 1-84425-108-X|page=13 }} His sister Cristina was a promising swimmer prior to her death in an automobile collision in 1979.{{Cite magazine|last=Nack|first=William|date=15 April 2002|title=After the Miracle Having Barely Survived a Horrific Crash in Which He Lost Both Legs, Alex Zanardi Is Attacking Rehab with the Same Passion and Purpose That Made Him a Racing Champion|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2002/04/15/after-the-miracle-having-barely-survived-a-horrific-crash-in-which-he-lost-both-legs-alex-zanardi-is-attacking-rehab-with-the-same-passion-and-purpose-that-made-him-a-racing-champion|access-date=21 June 2020|magazine=Sports Illustrated}}

Zanardi began racing karts at age 13. He built his kart from the wheels of a dustbin and pipes from his father's work. In 1988, he joined the Italian Formula 3 series, with a fifth place as his highest finish. In 1989, Zanardi took two pole positions and three podiums despite his team's switching to unleaded fuel, which reduced his car's engine power.{{cite web|title=Alessandro Zanardi Biography|url=http://www.f1rejects.com/drivers/zanardi/biography.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202223125/http://www.f1rejects.com/drivers/zanardi/biography.html|archive-date=2 December 2013|publisher=f1rejects.com}} In 1991, he moved up to the Formula 3000 series with the Il Barone Rampante team, themselves newcomers to the series. He won his F3000 debut race, scoring two more wins that season and finishing second in the championship.

After testing for the Footwork team, Zanardi mounted a strong season in F3000. Eddie Jordan looked to replace Roberto Moreno for the remainder of the 1991 season, bringing in Zanardi for the last three races. Zanardi finished two of them, both in 9th place. In {{F1|1992}}, however, Zanardi had to be content with guest drives for Minardi, replacing the injured Christian Fittipaldi. In the off-season, he tested for Benetton, but he contracted with Lotus for 1993. He later stated that in hindsight, he should have stayed on as the Benetton test driver as he would likely have been given a full-time drive for 1994 following Riccardo Patrese's retirement, where he would have been in a race-winning car alongside that year's world champion Michael Schumacher.{{Cite web|title=Listen to inspirational racer Alex Zanardi discuss his remarkable life and career on Beyond The Grid {{!}} Formula 1®|url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.listen-to-inspirational-racer-alex-zanardi-discuss-his-remarkable-life-and.4KMuEMCm9JRNv38evCstad.html|access-date=2020-10-15|website=www.formula1.com|language=en}}

File:Alessandro Zanardi - Lotus 109 at the 1994 British Grand Prix (32500452896).jpg at the 1994 British Grand Prix.]]

Zanardi compared reasonably to teammate Johnny Herbert in 1993 and was important in fine-tuning the team's active suspension system, scoring his only F1 point at the Brazilian Grand Prix. He was injured when an elderly motorist collided with his bicycle, knocking him down and running over Zanardi's left foot. Despite several broken bones, Zanardi raced in Germany, but he spun out and did not finish. Zanardi's season ended prematurely after he sustained a concussion as a result of a crash in practice for the Belgian Grand Prix.

Still recovering, Zanardi missed the beginning of the {{F1|1994}} season while he was working as a test driver for Lotus,{{Cite news|date=10 December 1993|title=Zanardi to return; Motor Racing|page=46|work=The Times|url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A115867446/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=8b59e379|access-date=21 June 2020|via=Gale Academic OneFile}} but he returned in the Spanish Grand Prix, replacing Pedro Lamy, who had been injured in a testing crash. However, Lotus struggled in its final season in F1 and Zanardi failed to score a single point or qualify higher than 13th. For the races in Belgium and Portugal, Zanardi was replaced by Belgian pay driver Philippe Adams.

With Lotus Formula One defunct, Zanardi practiced to race in sports car racing. His first meeting was at a Porsche Supercup event at Imola. Zanardi later raced at a four-hour event at Donington Park, where he and Alex Portman retired with eight minutes remaining despite leading by over a lap. The pair managed to finish 4th at a rainy day race at Silverstone.

File:Alex Zanardi @ Vancouver.jpg

During 1995, Zanardi went to the United States for a drive in the CART Series. He felt that finding a race seat would be easy with Formula One experience, but drew no interest from any team. However, Reynard Commercial Director Rick Gorne managed to secure Zanardi a test drive at Homestead with Chip Ganassi Racing. Zanardi signed a contract on 23 October 1995. The team's race engineer Mo Nunn advised Chip against signing him, as he believed Italian drivers were too prone to mistakes.

He rapidly became one of the series' most popular drivers. He took the pole for his second race, although his first win didn't come until mid-season. Overall, he won three races in his rookie season and six pole positions, finishing third in the championship behind teammate Jimmy Vasser and Michael Andretti. He and Andretti were level on points but Andretti took second place by virtue of having five race wins compared to Zanardi's three.Wicker, Ned. IndyCar Champion – A Season with Target/Chip Ganassi Racing, Motorbooks International, 1997, page 7 Zanardi was named Rookie of the Year.

A win came at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the final race of the 1996 season, where he conducted a highly risky overtake at the Corkscrew corner (known to many racing fans as "The Pass"; the maneuver was banned for future years), on race leader Bryan Herta, having fought his way through the field.{{Cite news|last=Harris|first=Mike|date=6 September 1997|title=Zanardi's sensational pass won't happen again|work=Associated Press|url=https://apnews.com/fb2576e042c9fa1d72f4518848fad016|access-date=21 June 2020}}

Zanardi improved his form in CART in 1997, winning five of seventeen races, including three in a row and four of the five rounds held in the mid to late portion of the season en route to winning the Drivers' Championship. 1998 saw Zanardi even more dominant in his Ganassi Reynard-Honda, winning 7 of 19 races with an incredible 15 podiums in those 19 races. He won four races in a row in June and July en route to his second consecutive CART title, the third in a row for Ganassi and Honda, and the fourth for Reynard.

After winning a race, Zanardi was fond of spinning his car around in tight circles, leaving circular doughnut-shaped patterns of tyre rubber on the track; this would eventually become a popular means of celebrating race wins all across America.

Image:Alex Zanardi 1999 Canada.jpg at the 1999 Canadian Grand Prix]]

Zanardi's CART success caught the attention of Sir Frank Williams, with whom he made contact in 1997, to inform them he would be available for contract negotiations if needed. Williams visited Zanardi, who signed a three-year contract in July 1998 which was publicly confirmed in September of that year.{{cite web|title=Williams confirms Zanardi and Schumacher|url=http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns01744.html|publisher=grandprix.com|date=28 September 1998}} He began testing at the end of that year alongside test driver Juan Pablo Montoya. Zanardi also received offers from BAR and Honda.{{cite web|title=Zanardi and Williams|url=http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns01645.html|publisher=grandprix.com|date=13 July 1998}} In Australia, Zanardi was 9th quickest in the first free practice session but had limited track time due to reliability issues and traffic in qualifying meant he could only start 15th. He showed promise in the warm-up with 6th but the race saw him crash out on lap 21. Moving on to Brazil, Zanardi once again experienced limited time on the track which was mainly due to engine issues. He started 16th and retired with a differential failure. Zanardi also incurred a $5,000 fine for speeding in the pit lane.

At Imola, his form improved with a start position of 10th. The race itself threw up a surprise for Zanardi. His car was suffering electronic issues and ran a steady 7th in the closing stages and ran over oil from Johnny Herbert's Stewart at the Villeneuve chicane and spun into the gravel. Zanardi out-qualified Schumacher at Monaco by over half a second. More drama occurred on race day as the seat in his Williams broke off during the early stages of the race but he managed to finish 8th and last of the runners. In Spain, despite setting the 5th-quickest lap in first free practice, a wrong set-up placed Zanardi 17th in qualifying. His car's gearbox seized after a pit stop. Similar problems occurred in Canada where Friday practice running was limited. Managing to out-qualify Schumacher, Zanardi's race was incident filled. Whilst running in 8th, he spun off into the gravel trap early on and dropped to last. Further time was lost when leaving the pit lane during a safety car period and receiving a stop-go penalty. A further excursion occurred when a maneuver on Luca Badoer's Minardi ended with Zanardi crashing out.

The wet qualifying for the French Grand Prix saw him qualify 15th after the Williams team misread conditions and aquaplaned during the race. At Silverstone, Zanardi qualified 13th and finished 11th. In Austria, he started 14th. In the first part of the race, Zanardi's radio communications failed and around lap 33, his team hung out pit boards, calling him in to pit, but a battle with Pedro Diniz distracted Zanardi, causing him to miss the board twice, and eventually ran out of fuel. Mechanical failures saw Zanardi with premature exits from the next two races before he finished eighth in Belgium.

File:Alex Zanardi 1999 Monza.jpg

In Monza, Zanardi qualified 4th ahead of teammate Ralf Schumacher. He overtook David Coulthard and Heinz-Harald Frentzen at the start. Frentzen took over 2nd from Zanardi at the Roggia chicane. On the third lap, the floor on the Williams became loose and he was forced to wave his rivals past, but managed to finish 7th. At the next round at the Nürburgring, Zanardi qualified in 18th, placing blame on traffic. He performed well at the start but had to take avoiding action when Alexander Wurz clipped Pedro Diniz. The incident left Zanardi in last position but he regained positions before his car succumbed to his engine stalling. The penultimate round in Malaysia had seen Zanardi start from 16th with a first-lap collision that damaged his front rim with a pit-stop preventing better progress. He later ran wide, which caused damage to the car radiators and prompted another pit-stop with Zanardi finishing 10th.

The final race of the season was in Japan, where he qualified 16th. In the race, Zanardi overtook many of his rivals, driving as high as 9th before his pit-lane limiter activated with the engine shutting off when he attempted to turn off the limiter on the first lap. At the end of the season, Zanardi and the Williams team decided to go their separate ways with an estimated cost of $4 million for the termination of Zanardi's contract.

{{blockquote|"When I woke up without legs I looked at the half that was left, not the half that was lost".
(Original: "Quando mi sono risvegliato senza gambe ho guardato la metà che era rimasta, non la metà che era andata persa".)[https://www.frasimania.it/frasi-alex-zanardi/ Frasi di Alex Zanardi] Frasimania.it}}

File:Alex Zanardi at Laguna Seca.JPG

In the 2000 season Zanardi was not signed for a team, but was interested in a CART comeback. He tested for Mo Nunn in July at Sebring driving for 246 laps and opted to sign to the team for 2001.

For most of the season, Zanardi had little success, with three top-ten finishes and a best result of fourth place in the 2001 Molson Indy Toronto. During the 2001 American Memorial at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz on 15 September 2001, Zanardi started from the back of the grid and was gaining the upper hand of the race. After a late pit stop, Zanardi was attempting to merge back onto the track when he accelerated abruptly, lost control of his car, and spun onto the race track into the direct path of Patrick Carpentier. Carpentier was able to avoid him, but Alex Tagliani, who was just behind Carpentier at the time, was not, and Zanardi's car was blindsided from behind the front wheel, severing the nose of the car.{{cite news|last=Cary|first=Tom|title=Alex Zanardi puts life-threatening Champ Car crash behind him to go for gold in hand cycling at London 2012|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/paralympic-sport/8973571/Alex-Zanardi-puts-life-threatening-Champ-Car-crash-behind-him-to-go-for-gold-in-hand-cycling-at-London-2012.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/paralympic-sport/8973571/Alex-Zanardi-puts-life-threatening-Champ-Car-crash-behind-him-to-go-for-gold-in-hand-cycling-at-London-2012.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Telegraph|date=23 December 2011}}{{cbignore}} Zanardi lost both legs (one at and one above the knee) in the impact and nearly three-quarters of his blood volume, though rapid medical intervention saved his life. Further portions of his legs were amputated during three hours of surgery to clean and facilitate closing the wounds.{{Cite web|url=https://canoe.com/sports/auto-racing/where-are-alexs-legs-witnesses-recall-zanardis-horrific-crash|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190126051810/https://canoe.com/sports/auto-racing/where-are-alexs-legs-witnesses-recall-zanardis-horrific-crash|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 January 2019|title = 'WHERE ARE ALEX'S LEGS?': Witnesses recall Zanardi's horrific crash}}{{cite news|url = http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,766954,00.html|title = Zanardi the brave|work = The Guardian|date = 4 August 2002|access-date = 28 August 2015|last = Nack|first = William}}

Zanardi was fitted with two prosthetic limbs and began rehabilitating. Dissatisfied with the limitations of legs available commercially, Zanardi designed and built his own custom legs, to allow him to compare the weight and stiffness of various feet to find the ones most suitable for racing. In 2002, CART honoured Zanardi by allowing him to wave the checkered flag in Toronto, Canada.{{Cite news|last=Montague|first=James|date=29 July 2007|title=Alex Zanardi: 'I once thought I'd rather die than have no legs but now I see I was wrong'|work=The Observer|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jul/29/motorsports.features|access-date=21 June 2020}} In 2003, Zanardi was ready to take to the track again, with the aid of hand-operated brake and accelerator controls. Before the 2003 German 500 began, Zanardi ceremonially drove the thirteen laps he never finished at the Lausitzring in 2001. His fastest lap time of 37.487 seconds would have qualified him fifth in the actual race.{{Cite web|date=11 May 2003|title=Zanardi's Final 13 Laps|url=http://cart.com/News/Article.asp?ID=6042|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030610075941/http://cart.com/News/Article.asp?ID=6042|archive-date=10 June 2003|access-date=21 June 2020|publisher=Championship Auto Racing Teams}}

Image:Alessandro Zanardi 2008 Brands Hatch.jpg in 2008]]

Zanardi competed at Monza, Italy in a round of the 2003 European Touring Car Championship, in his first race since the accident in a touring car modified to allow the use of his prosthetic feet, finishing the race in seventh.{{Cite journal|date=June 2004|title=In control: Alex Zanardi's successful return to racing|url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A116793917/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=874a928b|journal=Motor Trend|volume=56|issue=6|pages=8A|via=Gale General OneFile}} In 2004, Zanardi returned to racing full-time, driving for Roberto Ravaglia's BMW Team Italy-Spain in the FIA European Touring Car Championship. In 2005, the series became the World Touring Car Championship by adding two non-European races. On 24 August 2005, Zanardi won his first world series race, celebrating with a series of trademark "donuts". He took further wins at Istanbul in 2006 and Brno in 2008 and 2009. At the end of the 2009 season, he announced his retirement from the WTCC.{{cite news|url = http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80340|title = Zanardi retires from WTCC|work = Autosport|date = 26 November 2009|access-date = 9 October 2010|last = English|first = Steven}} He took the 2005 Italian Superturismo Championship as organised by the Automobile Club d'Italia with eight victories from twelve races in a Team BMW Italy-entered BMW 320si run by ROAL Motorsport.{{Cite web|last=Sailsbury|first=Matt|date=12 September 2005|title=WTCC: Zanardi crowned Italian champion|url=https://www.crash.net/wtcc/news/128978/1/wtcc-zanardi-crowned-italian-champion|access-date=21 June 2020|publisher=Crash}}{{Cite web|date=13 September 2005|title=Well done Mr Pineapple|url=http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns15586.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051111051235/http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns15586.html|archive-date=11 November 2005|access-date=21 June 2020|publisher=GrandPrix.com}}

Zanardi returned to a Formula One car in late November 2006 at a testing session for BMW Sauber in Valencia, Spain. The car had been specially adapted to have hand controls fitted on the steering wheel. After the drive, Zanardi said that the main problem he was having was using only his right hand to steer through corners, as his left operated the throttle.{{cite web |title=Driver who lost both legs returns to F1 |url=http://www.carsnaps.com/news.php?id=39 |publisher=carsnaps.com |access-date=6 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080106181321/http://www.carsnaps.com/news.php?id=39 |archive-date=6 January 2008 |date=29 November 2006 |url-status=dead }} Zanardi said, "Of course, I know that I won't get a contract with the Formula One team, however having the chance to drive an F1 racer again is just incredible."{{cite news|title=Zanardi to return to F1 cockpit|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6100256.stm|publisher=BBC|access-date=6 March 2008 | date=30 October 2006}}{{cite news|title=Zanardi makes happy return to F1|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6178832.stm|publisher=BBC|access-date=6 March 2008 | date=25 November 2006}}

Since 2004, CRG has made and sold a range of kart chassis bearing Zanardi's name. The Zanardi chassis has been raced in the European KF1 Championship and World Championship as well as in many other racing events worldwide.{{Cite web|date=4 July 2011|title=Swiss Hutless and Zanardi Join in the Dancing|url=http://www.vroomkart.com/news/9519/swiss-hutless-and-zanardi-join-dancing|access-date=21 June 2020|publisher=Vroom Kart}} Dutch driver Nyck de Vries won the CIK-FIA Karting World Championship in 2010 and 2011 with Zanardi karts.{{Cite web|last=Martin–Janiak|first=David|date=6 January 2016|title=CRG Welcomes Back Dino Chiesa|url=https://kartingnewsworldwide.com/regulations-and-schedules/crg-welcomes-back-dino-chiesa/|access-date=21 June 2020|publisher=Karting News Worldwide}}

In November 2012, Zanardi tested a BMW DTM touring car, completing 32 laps of the Nürburgring.{{cite web |url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104119 |title=Alex Zanardi completes test in DTM title-winning BMW |last=Turner |first=Kevin|date=8 November 2012|work=Autosport|access-date=12 November 2012}} He later said that the test had rekindled his interest in motor racing, and in January 2014, it was announced that he would return to motorsport in the 2014 Blancpain Sprint Series season, racing a BMW Z4 GT3 for Ravaglia's ROAL Motorsport team.{{cite web |url = http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/112207|title = Alex Zanardi returns to motorsport with ROAL BMW Blancpain GT seat|last1 = Watkins|first1 = Gary|date = 21 January 2014|website = Autosport|access-date = 2 July 2014}} In 2018, he made a one-off appearance in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, driving a BMW M4 DTM in the Misano round of the series. After qualifying in last place for both races, he finished 12th out of 13 finishers in the first race before placing fifth in the second race in mixed weather: after the race he said that as radio communication between drivers and the pits is banned in the DTM except when cars are in the pit lane, when his team told him of his fifth-place finish he initially believed it was a joke at his expense.{{cite web |url=https://www.autosport.com/dtm/news/138325/zanardi-thought-dtm-fifth-place-was-a-joke|title=DTM Misano: BMW driver Alex Zanardi thought fifth place was a joke |last=Freeman|first=Glenn |date=27 August 2018 |website=Autosport |access-date=18 May 2019}}

Zanardi returned to American motor racing by entering the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona that January. Using a similar set of controls as the BMW M4 that he used in the DTM series, the GTLM-specification BMW M8 GTE had a special steering wheel that allowed him to actuate the accelerator with his left hand and shift with his right hand. Brakes were applied with a large handle with by his right hand. The brake handle also had a downshift trigger on it so he can still "engine brake" like his teammates John Edwards, Jesse Krohn and Chaz Mostert.{{cite news |url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/a25996515/alex-zanardi-2019-daytona-24-hand-controls-bmw-m8/ |title=Here's How Alex Zanardi Will Drive at Daytona Using Hand Controls |last=Perkins |first=Chris |date=22 January 2019 | website=Road & Track | access-date=27 January 2019}} The team finished 32nd overall and ninth in the GTLM category.{{Cite web|last=Chokhani|first=Darshan|date=9 February 2019|title=Zanardi 'proud' not to make any mistakes en-route Daytona 24 Hours Finish|url=https://formularapida.net/zanardi-proud-to-not-make-mistakes-en-route-daytona-24-hours-finish/|access-date=21 June 2020|publisher=FormulaRapida.net}}

The Alex Zanardi Edition Acura NSX was introduced in 1999 for the U.S. market to commemorate Zanardi's two back-to-back CART championship wins for Honda in 1997 and 1998. The car features revised suspension, as well as a fixed roof, lightweight BBS wheels, single-pane rear glass, a lightweight rear spoiler, manual steering, and a lighter battery, making it {{cvt|67.5|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} lighter than the targa top version.{{Cite web|date=7 November 1999|title=Acura Debuts Alex Zanardi Edition NSX|url=https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/acura-debuts-alex-zanardi-edition-nsx|access-date=20 June 2020|website=Honda Newsroom|language=en}} Only 51 examples were ever built, and all were painted in the newly introduced New Formula Red Color Code: R-510 which subsequently replaced Formula Red Color Code: R-77 in all markets from 2000 onward, to reflect the colour of the car he drove for Chip Ganassi Racing.{{Cite web|last=Nishimoto|first=Alex|date=3 April 2020|title=1999 Acura NSX Zanardi Edition Is the Lightweight, Fixed-Roof NSX to Lust After|url=https://www.motortrend.com/news/1999-acura-nsx-zanardi-edition-history-photos-specs/|website=Motor Trend}}

After the injuries sustained from his 2001 racing accident, Zanardi decided to return to sport, taking up handcycling. In 2007, he achieved 4th place in the New York City Marathon in the handcycle division,{{cite web|title=Zanardi 4th in N.Y.C. marathon |url=https://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/news_story/?ID=222195&hubname=auto_racing |publisher=The Sports Network |access-date=6 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110150047/http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/news_story/?ID=222195&hubname=auto_racing |archive-date=10 January 2008 |date=5 November 2007 |url-status=live }} after only four weeks of training. He has since taken up handcycling in earnest, and competed at the Para-Cycling Road World Championships in 2009. He stated that he was targeting a place in the Italian team for the 2012 Summer Paralympics.{{cite news |work= BBC Sport |title= Zanardi aims for Paralympic place |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/disability_sport/8249435.stm |publisher= BBC |access-date= 14 September 2009 | date=10 September 2009| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090912101407/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/disability_sport/8249435.stm| archive-date= 12 September 2009 | url-status= live}} In 2009, he won the Venice Marathon in the category for disabled people, riding his wheelchair in one hour, thirteen minutes, 56 seconds, and won the Rome City Marathon in 2010, in a time of one hour, fifteen minutes, 53 seconds.{{cite news|title=Zanardi aims for Paralympic medal|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/82292|work=Autosport|author1=English, Steven |author2=Lostia, Michele|access-date=22 March 2010|date=22 March 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100325093954/http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/82292| archive-date= 25 March 2010 | url-status= live}} In 2011, at his fourth attempt, Zanardi won the New York City Marathon in his handcycling class.{{cite web|title = Zanardi Wins Class At New York Marathon|url = http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-zanardi-wins-class-at-new-york-marathon/|date = 6 November 2011|publisher = speed.com|last = Pruett|first = Marshall|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111107212053/http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-zanardi-wins-class-at-new-york-marathon/|archive-date = 7 November 2011|url-status = dead}}

On 5 September 2012, Zanardi won a gold medal in the men's road time trial H4 at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London,{{cite web|title=Results of H4 Time Trial|url=http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/cycling-road/event/men-individual-h-4-time-trial/phase=crm114100/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530175155/http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/cycling-road/event/men-individual-h-4-time-trial/phase%3Dcrm114100/index.html|archive-date=30 May 2013|access-date=28 August 2015|website=London 2012}}{{cite web|last=Henson|first=Mike|date=5 September 2012|title=Alex Zanardi wins Paralympics 2012 handcycling gold|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/disability-sport/19493510|access-date=28 August 2015|work=BBC Sport}} finishing 27.14 seconds ahead of Nobert Mosandi at Brands Hatch in Kent.{{cite web|url = http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-zanardi-wins-gold-in-paralympic-road-cycling/|title = Zanardi Wins Gold in Paralympic Road Cycling|last = Pruett|first = Marshall|date = 5 September 2012|work = SPEED Channel|publisher = Fox Sports|access-date = 28 August 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120907231107/http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-zanardi-wins-gold-in-paralympic-road-cycling/P1|archive-date = 7 September 2012|url-status = dead}} Two days later, he won the individual H4 road race, ahead of Ernst van Dyk (South Africa) and Wim Decleir (Belgium), and then a silver medal for Italy in the mixed team relay H1-4 on 8 September 2012.{{cite web|date=7 September 2012|title=Alex Zanardi wins second Paralympics handcycling gold|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/disability-sport/19519141|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020113859/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/disability-sport/19519141|archive-date=20 October 2018|access-date=28 August 2015|work=BBC Sport}}{{cite web|title=Alex Zanardi|url=http://www.paralympic.org/athlete/alex-zanardi/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214162652/http://www.paralympic.org/alex-zanardi|archive-date=14 February 2014|access-date=28 August 2015|publisher=Paralympics}} The bike used by Zanardi was constructed by Italian racecar constructor Dallara.{{cite web|title=Z Bike|url=https://www.dallara.it/wps/portal/en/racing-vehicles/Z-bike/!ut/p/a1/jVFNU8IwEP0r5ZAjZPshFm-VQhEMAh219MIEmkKxpJ00EOHXm454wFE0h919M29n33vBMY5wzOkhW1OZFZzmNY7bC9slPXM0gmHQtlzwghd75AY35qxvasJcE-CX58Ff-yHjeHhJgiDwwXOnpBM6DkDQro9YgnTJGscllZtmxtMCRwnNcyqokdM9X21YZWSyMgrFjbQQu31ODcdYUYFfcXxNxO2z9Z0AvYEWADO715tOLdeyrxNg5pwJV2IY_iNIjy9tV3sULGWCidZe6A_YSFlWdwgQKKVaZ8-tTGpcVgjKQkiaI2AcwY4lGUUwZqr6rE2fSZrlGp33kGnBV1z1rBOrmw6tbufc6tGpi04PQWOvT5UIqFYAziLcdrqT41tVHeF98kg4OcGBeGmwPT2Nxo_Re-IvrY6_VMQem4l_r6THQa7BJL53Wp3S0H9eTKB7-5D0p4PwUM613p-sb4pK4ujSMS53kTrakD004-VReY0PKbdAGg!!/dl5/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/|website=Dallara|date=23 March 2011 |access-date=10 September 2014}} As a result, Zanardi was named one of "The Men of the Year 2012" by Top Gear.{{Cite web|last=Kennedy|first=George|date=22 January 2014|title=F1 Driver Who Lost Both Legs to Return to Auto Racing|url=https://news.yahoo.com/f1-driver-lost-both-legs-return-auto-racing-173007290.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200621070130/https://news.yahoo.com/f1-driver-lost-both-legs-return-auto-racing-173007290.html|archive-date=21 June 2020|access-date=21 June 2020|publisher=Yahoo! Sports}} Zanardi was also voted the best male athlete of the 2012 Paralympics.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2 October 2012|title=Zanardi voted best male athlete of Paralympics|url=https://gazzettadelsud.it/speciali/english/2012/10/02/zanardi-voted-best-male-athlete-of-paralympics-44b503ce-f580-4669-98be-e19780a6121a/|access-date=30 January 2021|website=Gazzetta del Sud|language=it}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Before the Games in London, Zanardi expressed interest in returning to auto racing for the 2013 Indianapolis 500;{{cite news|url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/new-cars/auto-news/former-cart-champ-zanardi-to-compete-at-paralympic-games/article4460770/|title = Former CART champ Zanardi to compete at Paralympic Games|last = Pappone|first = Jeff|date = 6 August 2012|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date = 6 August 2012|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120806194632/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/new-cars/auto-news/former-cart-champ-zanardi-to-compete-at-paralympic-games/article4460770/|archive-date = 6 August 2012|url-status = dead}} while this failed to pan out, at the event he was presented with his 1996 CART Laguna Seca-winning car by Target Chip Ganassi Racing.{{cite web|url=http://www.indycar.com/News/2013/05/5-24-Notes-Zanardi-receives-special%20-surprise|title=Notes: Zanardi receives special gifts at Indy|last=Lewandowski|first=Dave|date=24 May 2013|publisher=IndyCar.com|access-date=16 July 2013}}

Zanardi completed the 2014 Ironman World Championship with a time of 9:47'14, ranking 272nd overall and 19th out of 247 in the 45–49-year category.[http://www.racer.com/latest-stories/item/109767-zanardi-ticks-off-another-milestone-in-ironman-triathlon Zanardi ticks off another milestone in Ironman Triathlon] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016073859/http://racer.com/latest-stories/item/109767-zanardi-ticks-off-another-milestone-in-ironman-triathlon |date=16 October 2014 }} – Racer Magazine, 12 October 2014 He used a handbike for the cycling section and a wheelchair for the running section. In September 2015, Zanardi announced that he would be taking part in the Berlin Marathon using a recumbent hand cycle.{{cite web|last1=Pettit|first1=Vince|title=Zanardi set for new challenge at Berlin Marathon|url=http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2015/09/zanardi-set-for-new-challenge-at-berlin-marathon/|website=theCheckeredFlag.co.uk|date=21 September 2015|access-date=21 September 2015}} At the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro he won the gold medals in the H5 category road cycling men's time trial and mixed team relay, and also silver in the road race.{{cite web|url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics/athlete/alessandro-zanardi |title=Paralympic – ZANARDI Alessandro Cycling Road Italy |website=Rio2016.com |publisher=Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games |date=23 October 1966 |access-date=15 September 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922215927/https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics/athlete/alessandro-zanardi |archive-date=22 September 2016 }} On 22 September 2018, in a triathlon competition in Cervia, Italy, Zanardi broke the Ironman world record in the category of disabled people, with a time of 8:26'6. With that time, he also ranked fifth overall in the competition.{{cite news|language=it-IT|title=Ironman a Cervia, per Alex Zanardi un altro record: "Oltre i miei sogni"|work=Corriere della Sera|date=23 September 2018|access-date=22 October 2018|url=https://www.corriere.it/sport/18_settembre_23/ironman-cervia-alex-zanardi-altro-record-oltre-miei-sogni-62fc9b6a-bf14-11e8-87df-bb2b7cf6f481.shtml}}

On 19 June 2020, Zanardi was involved in a serious accident while competing in the Obiettivo tricolore Italian national road race for paralympic athletes.{{Cite news|date=19 June 2020|title=Alex Zanardi travolto in handbike: è gravissimo. Terminato l'intervento, è in terapia intensiva|language=it|work=la Repubblica|url=https://firenze.repubblica.it/cronaca/2020/06/19/news/grave_incidente_in_handbike_per_alex_zanardi-259665276/|access-date=21 June 2020}} The accident occurred on State Highway 146 between Pienza and San Quirico. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Zanardi was descending down a hill when he lost control of his handbike and veered into an oncoming truck, leading to severe facial and cranial trauma. Emergency services attended the scene after other competitors helped to raise the alarm, and Zanardi was airlifted to the Santa Maria alle Scotte Hospital in Siena. He was treated in intensive care for serious head injuries.{{Cite news|date=19 June 2020|title=Zanardi contro un camion con la handbike. "Operato alla testa, è in terapia intensiva e resta gravissimo"|language=it|work=La Gazzetta dello Sport|url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Paralimpici/19-06-2020/zanardi-grave-incidente-la-handbike-3701952625657.shtml|access-date=21 June 2020}} In September 2020, it was reported that Zanardi was showing signs of interaction but that his condition remained "serious", and that he had undergone several surgeries to reconstruct his face.{{Cite web|agency=Associated Press|date=2020-09-24|title=Alex Zanardi responding to interaction in positive sign during recovery|url=https://motorsports.nbcsports.com/2020/09/24/alex-zanardi-responding-interaction-recovery-handbike-crash/|access-date=2020-10-06|website=MotorSportsTalk {{!}} NBC Sports|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Doctors say Alex Zanardi showing 'signs of interaction' as he continues recovery from accident {{!}} Formula 1®|url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.doctors-say-zanardi-showing-signs-of-interaction-as-he-continues-recovery.4iQmkprVpg4Fe7VHVi71Mp.html|access-date=2020-10-06|website=www.formula1.com|language=en}} In November 2020, Zanardi was transferred to a hospital in Padua, which was closer to his home to continue his recovery.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-21|title=Zanardi changes hospital 5 months after crash|url=https://www.espn.com/racing/story/_/id/30357633/alex-zanardi-transferred-padua-hospital-5-months-crash|access-date=2020-11-23|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Alex Zanardi transferred to hospital closer to family home to continue recovery from handbike crash {{!}} Formula 1®|url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.zanardi-transferred-to-hospital-closer-to-family-home-to-continue-recovery.3BZ1n29yS0Tx5EatFPo10j.html|access-date=2020-11-23|website=www.formula1.com|language=en}} In December 2020, it was reported that Zanardi regained his sight and hearing; he could also respond non-verbally to questions and shake hands on demand.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-22|title=Zanardi regaining senses, responding to stimuli|url=https://racer.com/2020/12/21/zanardi-regaining-senses-responding-to-stimuli/|access-date=2021-01-15|website=RACER|language=en-US}} In January 2021, it was reported that Zanardi was able to speak again following a waking surgery.{{Cite web|last=Perkins|first=Chris|date=2021-01-14|title=Alex Zanardi Is Reportedly Speaking Again|url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a35213644/alex-zanardi-is-reportedly-speaking-again/|access-date=2021-01-15|website=Road & Track|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Southwell|first=Hazel|title=Alex Zanardi Is Able to Speak to His Family After Most Recent Surgery: Report|url=https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/38709/alex-zanardi-is-able-to-speak-to-his-family-after-most-recent-surgery-report|access-date=2021-01-15|website=The Drive|date=13 January 2021 |language=en}} In December 2021, 18 months after the accident, he was able to return home in order to continue his rehabilitation.{{Cite web|last=Tobin|first=Dominic|date=2021-12-20|title=Alex Zanardi returns home with 'fighting spirit' after 18 months in hospital|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/news/alex-zanardi-returns-home-with-fighting-spirit-after-18-months-in-hospital|access-date=2021-12-20|website=Motor Sport Magazine|language=en-GB}}

Zanardi has been married to Daniela Manni since 1996, and they have a son, Niccolò (born 7 September 1998). He has co-written two books based on his life, Alex Zanardi: My Story (2004) with Gianluca Gasparini and Alex Zanardi: My Sweetest Victory (2004).{{Cite web|last=Wilkins|first=Robert|date=19 October 2004|title=Alex Zanardi – My Story: The big one|url=https://www.crash.net/indycar/news/20999/1/alex-zanardi-my-story-the-big-one|access-date=21 June 2020|publisher=Crash}}{{Cite web|last=Proffit|first=Anne|date=20 October 2004|title=Book Review: "My Sweetest Victory" by Alex Zanardi|url=https://www.automobilemag.com/news/zanardi-book/|access-date=21 June 2020|website=Automobile}} Zanardi and his story have been featured on the HBO sports series Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.{{Cite web|date=18 July 2003|title=HBO to show Zanardi comeback documentary.|url=https://www.crash.net/indycar/news/18519/1/hbo-to-show-zanardi-comeback-documentary|access-date=21 June 2020|publisher=Crash}}{{Cite web|date=13 December 2012|title='Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel' Returns Tuesday with a Roundtable Review of 2012|url=https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/press-releases/real-sports-with-bryant-gumbel-returns-tuesday-with-a-roundtable-review-of-2012/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623162210/https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/press-releases/real-sports-with-bryant-gumbel-returns-tuesday-with-a-roundtable-review-of-2012/|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 June 2020|access-date=21 June 2020|publisher=TV by the Numbers}} Zanardi wrote the opening chapters for the books of Steve Olvey, the former CART medical director, including, Rapid Response: My Inside Story as a Motor Racing Life Saver.{{Cite web|title=Rapid response : my inside story as a motor racing life-saver / Stephen Olvey; foreword by Alex Zanardi.|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/160551419?q&versionId=178102345|access-date=21 June 2020|publisher=National Library of Australia}}

Zanardi has received multiple awards, including the Autosport Gregor Grant Award in 1998 and 2003,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=8 December 2003|title=Gregor Grant: Alex Zanardi {{!}} News {{!}} Autosport|url=https://www.autosport.com/motorsport/news/25482/gregor-grant-alex-zanardi|access-date=1 February 2021|website=Autosport.com}} the Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year in 2005,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=20 May 2005|title=WTCC: Zanardi awarded Laureus comeback prize.|url=https://www.crash.net/wtcc/news/128890/1/wtcc-zanardi-awarded-laureus-comeback-prize|access-date=29 January 2021|website=Crash|language=en}} and the Gazzetta Legend Award in 2015.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=18 December 2015|title=Zanardi e Rossi la forza e la tenerezza ai Gazzetta Awards|url=http://topspeed.gazzetta.it/2015/12/18/zanardi-e-rossi-la-forza-e-la-tenerezza-ai-gazzetta-awards/|access-date=29 January 2021|website=|language=it}} He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2013 and the Long Beach Motorsports walk of fame in 2022.[http://www.mshf.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/alex-zanardi.html Alex Zanardi] at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America{{Cite web |title=Column: Long Beach, home of the tire-shredding doughnut • Long Beach Post News |url=https://lbpost.com/news/sports/column-long-beach-home-of-the-tire-shredding-doughnut |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=lbpost.com|date=15 March 2022 }}

In July 2022, Zanardi was hospitalized after a fire broke out at his home in Italy due to a defect on his home's solar panels, which damaged medical equipment he used while recovering from his hand-cycling crash. He was released back to his home 76 days later in September.{{Cite web |last=Valantine |first=Henry |date=2022-08-04 |title=Alex Zanardi back in hospital after fire breaks out at home |url=https://www.planetf1.com/news/alex-zanardi-hospitalised-house-fire/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=PlanetF1 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Wilde |first=Jon |date=2022-09-22 |title=Alex Zanardi able to return home after 76 days in hospital |url=https://www.planetf1.com/news/alex-zanardi-home-76-days-hospital/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=PlanetF1 |language=en}}

^† As Zanardi was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races

in italics indicate fastest lap)

(key)

Notes:

• {{dagger}} – Driver did not finish the Grand Prix but was classified, as he completed more than 90% of the race distance.

(key)

(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

^† As Zanardi was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{sports links}}
• {{Official website|1=http://www.alex-zanardi.com/}}
• [http://www.aylakkarga.com/iki-bacagini-kazada-kaybeden-yarisci-alex-zanardinin-inanilmasi-zor-hikayesi/ İki Bacağını Kazada Kaybeden Yarışçı Alex Zanardi'nin Hikayesi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724204434/http://www.aylakkarga.com/iki-bacagini-kazada-kaybeden-yarisci-alex-zanardinin-inanilmasi-zor-hikayesi/ |date=24 July 2015 }} {{in lang|tr}} (English title: The amazing story of racing driver Alex Zanardi who lost both legs in an accident)

{{s-start}}

{{s-sports}}

{{succession box | title = FIA European Formula Three Cup winner | years=1990 | before = Gianni Morbidelli | after=Benoît Tréluyer (1999)}}

{{succession box|title=CART Series
Champion |before=Jimmy Vasser|after= Juan Pablo Montoya|years=1997–1998}}

{{succession box | title = Italian Touring Car
Champion | years=2005 | before = Adriano de Micheli | after= Roberto Colciago}}

{{s-ach}}

{{succession box|before = Gil de Ferran | title = CART Rookie of the Year | years=1996 | after = Patrick Carpentier}}

{{succession box

| before = Armin Zöggeler

| title = Italian Sportsman of the Year

| years = 2012

| after = Vincenzo Nibali

}}

{{s-end}}

{{Formula One drivers from Italy}}

{{CART/CCWS Drivers' Champions}}

{{American open-wheel car racing champions}}

{{Minardi}}

{{Team Lotus}}

{{Chip Ganassi Racing}}

{{Mo Nunn Racing}}

{{Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year}}

{{Italian Sportsman of the Year}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zanardi, Alex}}

Category:1966 births

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