Alessandro zanardi unfallwagen

Italian racing driver and handcyclist (born 1966)

Alessandro "Alex" Zanardi (Italian pronunciation:[ˈaːleksdzaˈnardi]; born 23 Oct 1966) is an Italian planed racing driver and paracyclist. Take action won the CART championship barred enclosure 1997 and 1998, and took 15 wins in the group. He also raced in Pedestal One from 1991 to 1994 and again in 1999; crown best result was a sixth-place finish in the 1993 Brazilian Grand Prix. He returned put in plain words CART in 2001, but natty major crash in the 2001 American Memorial resulted in distinction amputation of his legs. Stylishness returned to racing less fondle two years after the fatal outcome, competing in the European Fraternize Car Championship in 2003–2004 weather then in the World Fraternize Car Championship between 2005 cranium 2009; he scored four conquests.

In addition to continuing serve race cars, Zanardi took purpose competition in handcycling, a the same of paralympic cycling, with authority stated goal of representing Italia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics. In September 2011, Zanardi won his first senior international handcycling medal, the silver medal play a role the H4 category time exasperation at the UCI World Plan Para-Cycling Championships. In September 2012 he won gold medals authorized the London Paralympics in goodness individual H4 time trial meticulous the individual H4 road in order, followed by a silver medallion in the mixed H1-4 arrangement relay, and in September 2016 he won a gold existing a silver medal at primacy 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics.

On 19 June 2020, Zanardi was involved in a solemn road accident while competing outing the Obiettivo tricolore handcycling race,^[1] near Siena. After being transferred to hospital, Zanardi underwent span hours of neurosurgery and maxillofacial surgery before being placed have round a medically induced coma.^[2]

Early life

Alex Zanardi was born in Metropolis, Italy on 23 October 1966, son of Dino and Anna Zanardi. His family moved predict the town of Castel Maggiore on the city's outskirts in the way that he was four years look up to age.^[3] His sister Cristina was a promising swimmer prior shield her death in an medium collision in 1979.^[4]

Zanardi began sward the turf horse-ra karts at age 13. Proceed built his kart from prestige wheels of a dustbin pivotal pipes from his father's enquiry. In 1988, he joined righteousness Italian Formula 3 series, free a fifth place as queen highest finish. In 1989, Zanardi took two pole positions come to rest three podiums despite his team's switching to unleaded fuel, which reduced his car's engine power.^[5] In 1991, he moved fitting to the Formula 3000 rooms with the Il Barone Rampante team, themselves newcomers to representation series. He won his F3000 debut race, scoring two mega wins that season and bias second in the championship.^[6]

Motor racing

Formula One (1991–1994)

After testing for position Footwork team, Zanardi mounted unmixed strong season in F3000. Eddie Jordan looked to replace Roberto Moreno for the remainder notice the 1991 season, bringing engross Zanardi for the last connect races. Zanardi finished two keep in good condition them, both in 9th back at the ranch. In 1992, however, Zanardi challenging to be content with company drives for Minardi, replacing honesty injured Christian Fittipaldi. In rendering off-season, he tested for Benetton, but he contracted with Lotus for 1993.^[5] He later avowed that in hindsight, he requirement have stayed on as authority Benetton test driver as of course would likely have been stated a full-time drive for 1994 following Riccardo Patrese's retirement, to what place he would have been funny story a race-winning car alongside range year's world champion Michael Schumacher.^[7]

Zanardi compared reasonably to teammate Johnny Herbert in 1993 and was important in fine-tuning the team's active suspension system, scoring culminate only F1 point at justness Brazilian Grand Prix. He was injured when an elderly driver collided with his bicycle, use him down and running overlay Zanardi's left foot. Despite a sprinkling broken bones, Zanardi raced be grateful for Germany, but he spun entice and did not finish.^[5] Zanardi's season ended prematurely after take action sustained a concussion as great result of a crash set a date for practice for the Belgian Enormous Prix.^[6]

Still recovering, Zanardi missed influence beginning of the 1994 period while he was working since a test driver for Lotus,^[8] but he returned in grandeur Spanish Grand Prix, replacing Pedro Lamy, who had been stung in a testing crash. Yet, Lotus struggled in its in response season in F1 and Zanardi failed to score a unmarried point or qualify higher pat 13th. For the races smother Belgium and Portugal, Zanardi was replaced by Belgian pay driverPhilippe Adams.^[5]

With Lotus Formula One behind the times, Zanardi practiced to race shaggy dog story sports car racing. His final meeting was at a Porsche Supercup event at Imola. Zanardi later raced at a four-hour event at Donington Park, locale he and Alex Portman lonely with eight minutes remaining in the face leading by over a travel. The pair managed to accomplish 4th at a rainy period race at Silverstone.^[5]

CART Championship series

During 1995, Zanardi went to magnanimity United States for a impel in the CART Series. Operate felt that finding a contest seat would be easy unwavering Formula One experience, but player no interest from any bunch. However, Reynard Commercial Director Pack Gorne managed to secure Zanardi a test drive at Habitation with Chip Ganassi Racing. Zanardi signed a contract on 23 October 1995. The team's refreshing engineerMo Nunn advised Chip despoil signing him, as he considered Italian drivers were too downward to mistakes.^[5]

He rapidly became individual of the series' most universal drivers. He took the spar for his second race, though his first win didn't funds until mid-season. Overall, he won three races in his enlist season and six pole positions, finishing third in the espousal behind teammate Jimmy Vasser extort Michael Andretti. He and Andretti were level on points on the contrary Andretti took second place timorous virtue of having five film wins compared to Zanardi's three.^[9] Zanardi was named Rookie strain the Year.^[2]

A win came whet Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca look after the final race of birth 1996 season, where he conducted a highly risky overtake miniature the Corkscrew corner (known emphasize many racing fans as "The Pass"; the maneuver was illegal for future years), on subtext leader Bryan Herta, having fought his way through the field.^[10]

Zanardi improved his form in Trolley in 1997, winning five hold sway over seventeen races, including three take away a row and four make acquainted the five rounds held take on the mid to late fatal accident of the season en society to winning the Drivers' Assistance. 1998 saw Zanardi even mega dominant in his Ganassi Reynard-Honda, winning 7 of 19 races with an incredible 15 podiums in those 19 races. Crystalclear won four races in top-hole row in June and July en route to his subsequent consecutive CART title, the 3rd in a row for Ganassi and Honda, and the section for Reynard.^[5]

After winning a improve, Zanardi was fond of spiraling his car around in firm circles, leaving circular doughnut-shaped laws of tyre rubber on magnanimity track; this would eventually suit a popular means of celebrating race wins all across America.^[5]

Return to Formula One

Zanardi's CART come off caught the attention of Sir Frank Williams, with whom proscribed made contact in 1997, sound out inform them he would skin available for contract negotiations providing needed. Williams visited Zanardi, who signed a three-year contract pathway July 1998 which was straightforward confirmed in September of ditch year.^[11] He began testing torture the end of that class alongside test driver Juan Pablo Montoya. Zanardi also received offers from BAR and Honda.^[12] Surround Australia, Zanardi was 9th fastest in the first free exercise session but had limited evidence time due to reliability issues and traffic in qualifying prearranged he could only start Ordinal. He showed promise in distinction warm-up with 6th but grandeur race saw him crash effect on lap 21. Moving strive to Brazil, Zanardi once improve experienced limited time on distinction track which was mainly owing to engine issues. He in motion 16th and retired with unembellished differential failure. Zanardi also incurred a $5,000 fine for pace in the pit lane.^[5]

At Imola, his form improved with put in order start position of 10th. Distinction race itself threw up organized surprise for Zanardi. His motor car was suffering electronic issues fairy story ran a steady 7th show the closing stages and ran over oil from Johnny Herbert's Stewart at the Villeneuve trickery and spun into the courage. Zanardi out-qualified Schumacher at Princedom by over half a second-best. More drama occurred on track down day as the seat outing his Williams broke off not later than the early stages of nobility race but he managed unearth finish 8th and last emblematic the runners. In Spain, in spite of setting the 5th-quickest lap encompass first free practice, a error set-up placed Zanardi 17th worship qualifying. His car's gearbox distressed after a pit stop. Comparable problems occurred in Canada circle Friday practice running was regional. Managing to out-qualify Schumacher, Zanardi's race was incident filled. Whilst running in 8th, he spun off into the gravel strongly built early on and dropped to hand last. Further time was lacking when leaving the pit roadway during a safety car stint and receiving a stop-go pest. A further excursion occurred considering that a maneuver on Luca Badoer's Minardi ended with Zanardi fucking out.^[5]

The wet qualifying for position French Grand Prix saw him qualify 15th after the Settler team misread conditions and aquaplaned during the race. At Silverstone, Zanardi qualified 13th and ripened 11th. In Austria, he going on 14th. In the first put a stop to of the race, Zanardi's ghetto-blaster communications failed and around arena 33, his team hung rust pit boards, calling him rope in to pit, but a skirmish with Pedro Diniz distracted Zanardi, causing him to miss glory board twice, and eventually ran out of fuel. Mechanical failures saw Zanardi with premature exits from the next two races before he finished eighth ordinary Belgium.^[5]

In Monza, Zanardi qualified Quaternary ahead of teammate Ralf Schumacher. He overtook David Coulthard accept Heinz-Harald Frentzen at the kick off. Frentzen took over 2nd overrun Zanardi at the Roggia craft. On the third lap, distinction floor on the Williams became loose and he was laboured to wave his rivals erstwhile, but managed to finish Ordinal. At the next round presume the Nürburgring, Zanardi qualified confine 18th, placing blame on shipping. He performed well at significance start but had to rest avoiding action when Alexander Wurz clipped Pedro Diniz. The fact left Zanardi in last character but he regained positions already his car succumbed to potentate engine stalling. The penultimate cushion in Malaysia had seen Zanardi start from 16th with smart first-lap collision that damaged queen front rim with a pit-stop preventing better progress. He afterwards ran wide, which caused harm to the car radiators paramount prompted another pit-stop with Zanardi finishing 10th.^[5]

The final race be in the region of the season was in Decorate, where he qualified 16th. Etch the race, Zanardi overtook various of his rivals, driving sort high as 9th before ruler pit-lane limiter activated with goodness engine shutting off when put your feet up attempted to turn off blue blood the gentry limiter on the first point. At the end of high-mindedness season, Zanardi and the Clergyman team decided to go their separate ways with an believed cost of $4 million for righteousness termination of Zanardi's contract.^[5]

CART go back and Lausitzring crash

"When I woke up without legs I looked at the half that was left, not the half guarantee was lost".
(Original: "Quando mi sono risvegliato senza gambe ho guardato la metà che era rimasta, non la metà che crop andata persa".)^[13]

In the 2000 ready Zanardi was not signed carry a team, but was caring in a CART comeback. Bankruptcy tested for Mo Nunn subordinate July at Sebring driving plan 246 laps and opted in all directions sign to the team inform 2001.^[5]

For most of the time, Zanardi had little success, gather three top-ten finishes and exceptional best result of fourth let in in the 2001 Molson Indy Toronto. During the 2001 Indweller Memorial at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz on 15 September 2001, Zanardi started from the back interrupt the grid and was accomplishment the upper hand of say publicly race. After a late well 2 stop, Zanardi was attempting be adjacent to merge back onto the course when he accelerated abruptly, missing control of his car, leading spun onto the race silhouette into the direct path realize Patrick Carpentier. Carpentier was talented to avoid him, but Alex Tagliani, who was just backside Carpentier at the time, was not, and Zanardi's car was blindsided from behind the facade wheel, severing the nose notice the car.^[14] Zanardi lost both legs (one at and acquaintance above the knee) in distinction impact and nearly three-quarters catch his blood volume, though accelerated medical intervention saved his discernment. Further portions of his principled were amputated during three noontime of surgery to clean remarkable facilitate closing the wounds.^[15][16]

Post-amputation racing

Zanardi was fitted with two prosthetic limbs and began rehabilitating.^[4][16] Querulous with the limitations of boundary available commercially, Zanardi designed suggest built his own custom utmost, to allow him to confront the weight and stiffness pattern various feet to find excellence ones most suitable for exhilarate. In 2002, CART honoured Zanardi by allowing him to opinion the checkered flag in Toronto, Canada.^[17] In 2003, Zanardi was ready to take to righteousness track again, with the facilitate of hand-operated brake and valve controls. Before the 2003 Germanic 500 began, Zanardi ceremonially concourse the thirteen laps he at no time finished at the Lausitzring welcome 2001. His fastest lap at this point of 37.487 seconds would receive qualified him fifth in grandeur actual race.^[18]

Zanardi competed at Monza, Italy in a round as a result of the 2003 European Touring Motor car Championship, in his first rallye since the accident in spick touring car modified to soirйe the use of his prosthetic feet, finishing the race plenty seventh.^[19] In 2004, Zanardi requited to racing full-time, driving select Roberto Ravaglia's BMW Team Italy-Spain in the FIAEuropean Touring Championship. In 2005, the mound became the World Touring Machine Championship by adding two non-European races. On 24 August 2005, Zanardi won his first cosmos series race, celebrating with regular series of trademark "donuts". Explicit took further wins at Constantinople in 2006 and Brno overlook 2008 and 2009. At honesty end of the 2009 term, he announced his retirement liberate yourself from the WTCC.^[20] He took excellence 2005 Italian Superturismo Championship since organised by the Automobile Bludgeon d'Italia with eight victories diverge twelve races in a Squad BMW Italy-entered BMW 320si dry run by ROAL Motorsport.^[21][22]

Zanardi returned find time for a Formula One car crate late November 2006 at shipshape and bristol fashion testing session for BMW Sauber in Valencia, Spain. The van had been specially adapted regard have hand controls fitted artificial the steering wheel. After description drive, Zanardi said that rendering main problem he was gaining was using only his accomplished hand to steer through recess, as his left operated birth throttle.^[23] Zanardi said, "Of means, I know that I won't get a contract with character Formula One team, however getting the chance to drive include F1 racer again is reasonable incredible."^[24][25]

Since 2004, CRG has compelled and sold a range oppress kart chassis bearing Zanardi's fame. The Zanardi chassis has anachronistic raced in the European KF1 Championship and World Championship by the same token well as in many subsequent racing events worldwide.^[26] Dutch utility Nyck de Vries won birth CIK-FIA Karting World Championship comprise 2010 and 2011 with Zanardi karts.^[27]

In November 2012, Zanardi time-tested a BMW DTM touring motorcar, completing 32 laps of depiction Nürburgring.^[28] He later said meander the test had rekindled cap interest in motor racing, arena in January 2014, it was announced that he would reappear to motorsport in the 2014 Blancpain Sprint Series season, exhilarate a BMW Z4 GT3 aspire Ravaglia's ROAL Motorsport team.^[29] Up-to-date 2018, he made a shortage appearance in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, driving a BMW M4 DTM in the Misano decorate of the series. After limiting in last place for both races, he finished 12th fussy of 13 finishers in class first race before placing 5th in the second race lecture in mixed weather: after the track down he said that as tranny communication between drivers and influence pits is banned in honesty DTM except when cars increase in value in the pit lane, while in the manner tha his team told him delineate his fifth-place finish he primarily believed it was a pun at his expense.^[30]

Zanardi returned form American motor racing by arrival the 2019 24 Hours loosen Daytona that January. Using unmixed similar set of controls on account of the BMW M4 that fair enough used in the DTM mound, the GTLM-specification BMW M8 GTE had a special steering spin that allowed him to persuade the accelerator with his evaluate hand and shift with enthrone right hand. Brakes were empirical with a large handle industrial action by his right hand. Nobility brake handle also had a- downshift trigger on it unexceptional he can still "engine brake" like his teammates John Theologiser, Jesse Krohn and Chaz Mostert.^[31] The team finished 32nd whole and ninth in the GTLM category.^[32]

Zanardi Edition NSX

The Alex Zanardi Edition Acura NSX was alien in 1999 for the U.S. market to commemorate Zanardi's unite back-to-back CART championship wins stick up for Honda in 1997 and 1998. The car features revised deferment, as well as a fundamental roof, lightweight BBS wheels, single-pane rear glass, a lightweight prepare spoiler, manual steering, and undiluted lighter battery, making it 67.5 kg (149 lb) lighter than the targa top version.^[33] Only 51 examples were ever built, and boxing match were painted in the without delay introduced New Formula Red Timbre Code: R-510 which subsequently replaced Formula Red Color Code: R-77 in all markets from 2000 onward, to reflect the hue of the car he chisel for Chip Ganassi Racing.^[34]

Handcycling snowball triathlon

After the injuries sustained bring forth his 2001 racing accident, Zanardi decided to return to bring, taking up handcycling. In 2007, he achieved 4th place welloff the New York City Labor in the handcycle division,^[35] later only four weeks of grooming. He has since taken live on handcycling in earnest, and competed at the Para-Cycling Road Faux Championships in 2009. He avowed that he was targeting deft place in the Italian group for the 2012 Summer Paralympics.^[36] In 2009, he won honesty Venice Marathon in the character for disabled people, riding crown wheelchair in one hour, xiii minutes, 56 seconds, and won the Rome City Marathon manner 2010, in a time be successful one hour, fifteen minutes, 53 seconds.^[37] In 2011, at surmount fourth attempt, Zanardi won decency New York City Marathon snare his handcycling class.^[38]

On 5 Sept 2012, Zanardi won a wealth apple of one`s e medal in the men's byroad time trial H4 at righteousness 2012 Paralympic Games in London,^[39][40] finishing 27.14 seconds ahead disseminate Nobert Mosandi at Brands Breed in Kent.^[41] Two days consequent, he won the individual H4 road race, ahead of Painter van Dyk (South Africa) illustrious Wim Decleir (Belgium), and afterward a silver medal for Italia in the mixed team spread H1-4 on 8 September 2012.^[42][43] The bike used by Zanardi was constructed by Italian racecar constructor Dallara.^[44] As a liquid, Zanardi was named one unbutton "The Men of the Day 2012" by Top Gear.^[45] Zanardi was also voted the superlative male athlete of the 2012 Paralympics.^[46]

Before the Games in Writer, Zanardi expressed interest in reversive to auto racing for rendering 2013 Indianapolis 500;^[47] while that failed to pan out, reduced the event he was debonair with his 1996 CART Lagune Seca-winning car by Target Paring Ganassi Racing.^[48]

Zanardi completed the 2014 Ironman World Championship with a-ok time of 9:47'14, ranking 272nd overall and 19th out racket 247 in the 45–49-year category.^[49] He used a handbike fulfill the cycling section and neat wheelchair for the running chip. In September 2015, Zanardi proclaimed that he would be task force part in the Berlin Undertaking using a recumbent hand cycle.^[50] At the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro fair enough won the gold medals feature the H5 category road cycling men's time trial and cross-bred team relay, and also cutlery in the road race.^[51] On the subject of 22 September 2018, in smart triathlon competition in Cervia, Italia, Zanardi broke the Ironman artificial record in the category carry-on disabled people, with a put off of 8:26'6. With that at this juncture, he also ranked fifth comprehensive in the competition.^[52]

2020 cycling accident

On 19 June 2020, Zanardi was involved in a serious crush while competing in the Obiettivo tricolore Italian national road appreciated for paralympic athletes.^[53] The crush occurred on State Highway 146 between Pienza and San Quirico. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Zanardi was descending down straight hill when he lost accumulation of his handbike and veered into an oncoming truck, important to severe facial and cranial trauma. Emergency services attended say publicly scene after other competitors helped to raise the alarm, station Zanardi was airlifted to loftiness Santa Maria alle Scotte Clinic in Siena. He was inclined in intensive care for solemn head injuries.^[54] In September 2020, it was reported that Zanardi was showing signs of relations but that his condition remained "serious", and that he difficult to understand undergone several surgeries to overhaul his face.^[55][56] In November 2020, Zanardi was transferred to simple hospital in Padua, which was closer to his home hopefulness continue his recovery.^[57][58] In Dec 2020, it was reported dump Zanardi regained his sight sports ground hearing; he could also agree to non-verbally to questions and surprise hands on demand.^[59] In Jan 2021, it was reported stray Zanardi was able to asseverate again following a waking surgery.^[60][61] In December 2021, 18 months after the accident, he was able to return home disturb order to continue his rehabilitation.^[62]

Personal life

Zanardi has been married in the matter of Daniela Manni since 1996, innermost they have a son, Niccolò (born 7 September 1998).^[5] Crystalclear has co-written two books homemade on his life, Alex Zanardi: My Story (2004) with Gianluca Gasparini and Alex Zanardi: Trough Sweetest Victory (2004).^[63][64] Zanardi lecturer his story have been featured on the HBO sports leanto Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.^[65][66] Zanardi wrote the opening chapters for the books of Steve Olvey, the former CART healing director, including, Rapid Response: Free Inside Story as a Car Racing Life Saver.^[67]

Zanardi has reactionary multiple awards, including the AutosportGregor Grant Award in 1998 service 2003,^[68] the Laureus World Exercises Award for Comeback of honourableness Year in 2005,^[69] and illustriousness Gazzetta Legend Award in 2015.^[70] He was inducted into say publicly Motorsports Hall of Fame decompose America in 2013 and representation Long Beach Motorsports walk be bought fame in 2022.^[71][72]

In July 2022, Zanardi was hospitalized after wonderful fire broke out at authority home in Italy due give somebody no option but to a defect on his home's solar panels, which damaged aesculapian equipment he used while convalescent from his hand-cycling crash. Elegance was released back to jurisdiction home 76 days later scam September.^[73][74]

Racing record

Career summary

^† As Zanardi was a guest driver, soil was ineligible for championship in rank.

Complete International Formula 3000 results

(key) (Races in bold indicate shaft position) (Races in italics embody fastest lap)

Complete Formula Procrastinate results

(key)

Notes:

• † – Driver frank not finish the Grand Prix but was classified, as appease completed more than 90% put the race distance.

Complete CART results

(key)

International Race of Champions

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

Complete World Touring Motorcar Championship results

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