Former Formula One driver and four-time Paralympic gold medalist Alessandro “Alex” Zanardi passed away peacefully on the evening of May 1st at the age of 59. His family confirmed the news in a statement released on May 2nd.
“He left peacefully, surrounded by the love of those who loved him most,” the statement said, without specifying the cause of death. In another message, the family expressed “deep sorrow” and announced that Zanardi “passed away suddenly” on the night of May 1st.
Zanardi’s career was defined by two severe accidents. The first occurred in September 2001 during a CART race at the Lausitzring in Germany, where he suffered a near-fatal crash that resulted in the amputation of both legs. During his recovery, he designed his own prosthetic limbs—joking that he “made himself taller”—and relearned to walk.
The second accident happened in June 2020. While competing in a charity handcycle relay in Tuscany, Italy, Zanardi collided with an oncoming truck, suffering severe head and facial trauma. He underwent years of treatment afterward.
Zanardi made his F1 debut in 1991, but truly excelled in the American CART series, winning back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998. After the 2001 accident left him a double amputee, he refused to leave the track. He later became the first double amputee to drive an F1 car. In 2019, he returned to the United States to compete in the 24 Hours of Daytona for BMW—this time without using his prosthetics. In a star-studded field that included F1 world champion Fernando Alonso, Zanardi earned immense respect, with many drivers seeking him out for photos and listening to his incredible stories from two decades of adventure.
After losing his legs, Zanardi turned to handcycling and rapidly became one of the world’s top para-athletes. He won four gold medals and two silver medals at the 2012 London Paralympics and 2016 Rio Paralympics. He also competed in the New York City Marathon and set records in triathlon.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said: “I am heartbroken by the loss of my dear friend Zanardi. He was a truly inspiring person, both as a human being and as an athlete. I will always remember his extraordinary strength. The challenges he faced would have broken anyone, but he always looked forward with a smile and relentless determination, inspiring us all.”
