Alex Zanardi, race driver turned Paralympic star, dies at 59

Alessandro "Alex" Zanardi, a decorated Italian race driver and later para-cyclist, has died suddenly at the age of 59, his family said in a statement on Saturday. 

"Alex fell asleep peacefully, surrounded by the affection of his loved ones," the statement said.

The family didn't go into details on the cause of death, but the double amputee suffered severe cranial injuries in a road accident when riding his handbike in Siena in northern Italy in 2020. 

Who was Alex Zanardi? 

Zanardi was considered one of the brightest prospects of his generation in motorsport, but the stars never aligned for him in Formula 1.

The Jordan, Minardi and Lotus teams he drove for in his first F1 stint were all uncompetitive when he was in the cockpit, and his best career finish was sixth.

Still, Zanardi made enough of a name for himself that he was offered a good drive with Chip Ganassi Racing in the now defunct CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) single-seater series in North America.

He was immediately among the front runners and won the championship in 1997 and 1998, before returning for another roll of the dice in F1 with Williams, alongside Ralf Schumacher. Here, too, his timing was off — reaching the Woking-based team just one year before they would once again have a competitive car and engine. 

On his return to the CART series in 2001, Zanardi suffered a life-changing crash at the Lausitzring in Germany.

He spun, slid back across the track and was then struck by another oncoming car moving at full speed, shearing off the front of his car completely and severely damaging his legs. Zanardi barely survived the crash, almost bleeding out at the scene. Both legs had to be amputated, one at the hip and the other at the knee. 

Zanardi would return to the cockpit in specially modified cars in the World Touring Car Championship and some other events, still showing race-winning pace at times despite his disadvantages. 

A cycling enthusiast prior to his injuries, Zanardi also moved into Paralympic competition as a hand-cyclist, winning four gold medals and two silvers for Italy in 2012 and 2016. 

What did Zanardi's friends and admirers say in tribute?

Zanardi's peers, admirers and even Italy's prime minister rushed to pay tribute to the famously gregarious and upbeat racer and his relentless positivity.

The FIA World Motorsport Federation called him an "enduring symbol of courage and determination."

The president and CEO of F1, Stefano Domenicali, hailed his "dear friend" Zanardi in an statement online. 

"He was truly an inspirational person, as a human and as an athlete. I will always carry with me his extraordinary strength. He faced challenges that would have stopped anyone, yet he continued to look forward, always with a smile and a stubborn determination that inspired us all," Domenicali said. 

"No words can express my feelings about this guy," Zanardi's old team boss Chip Ganassi wrote after the pair shared back-to-back championships in the late 90s. "I like winners." 

Even Prime Minster Giorgia Meloni lauded Zanardi's spirit and character. 

"Italy has lost a great champion and an extraordinary man, capable of turning every trial of life into a lesson in courage, strength, and dignity," she wrote.

Italy's Olympic Committee (CONI) asked all sporting bodies in the country to hold a minute's silence in Zanardi's honor at sporting events this weekend. 

Edited by: Louis Oelofse