Alex Zanardi, former F1 driver turned Paralympic gold medalist, dead at 59

Alex Zanardi, the former Formula One driver and CART champion who became a Paralympic gold medalist after a major accident, has died. 

Zanardi, perhaps best known for his spirit, will and a larger-than-life personality, was 59 years old. 

Alex Zanardi’s death

What we know:

Zanardi’s family said he passed away Friday night. 

What we don't know:

They didn’t release his cause of death. 

What they're saying:

"Alex died peacefully, surrounded by the affection of those closest to him," the family said in a statement shared with The Associated Press. 

F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said he was "deeply saddened by the passing of my dear friend," calling Zanardi "truly an inspirational person, as a human and as an athlete."

"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. "While his loss is profoundly felt, his legacy remains strong."

"Italy loses a great champion and an extraordinary man, capable of turning every challenge of life into a lesson in courage, strength, and dignity," Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said on X.

"Alex Zanardi knew how to bounce back every time, facing even the toughest challenges with determination, clarity, and a strength of spirit that was truly exceptional," Meloni added. "He gave all of us much more than a victory: he gave hope, pride, and the strength to never give up. ... Thank you for everything, Alex."

Zanardi is survived by his wife, Daniela, and son, Niccolò.

What's next:

A moment of silence will be observed for Zanardi before Saturday's F1 sprint race in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Italian Olympic Committee also called for a minute of silence to be observed at all sporting events in Italy this weekend. 

Funeral arrangements are pending. 

Alex Zanardi’s life

The backstory:

Zanardi, who was born in Bologna, raced in Formula One from 1991 to 1994 and again in 1999. He won two championships in CART — 1997 and 1998 — in the United States before a brief return to Formula One. 

He returned to America and was racing in Germany in a CART event in 2001 when both of his legs were severed in a horrific accident the weekend after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. 

Zanardi was in a coma for three days and his heart stopped at least once.

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While recovering, Zanardi designed his own prosthetics and eventually was able to walk again. From there, he transitioned to the sport of hand cycling, winning four gold medals and two silvers at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics. He also competed in the New York City Marathon and set an Ironman record.

"Probably a lot of people watching me doing (this), to some degree against all odds, maybe they are going to say, 'Bloody hell, if Zanardi did this, I can try. I can try,’" he told The Associated Press at the time. "A good attempt always brings a result."

In 2019, he returned to the U.S. to compete for BMW at the Rolex 24 of Daytona without his prosthetics. 

In 2020, Zanardi suffered serious injuries in a handbike accident after crashing into an oncoming truck in Tuscany. He was in a medically induced coma and had major facial and cranial trauma. 

Following the crash, Pope Francis wrote a letter of encouragement, praising Zanardi as a beacon of strength despite adversity. 

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