Two-time IndyCar Series champion Alex Zanardi has died. He was 59 years old.
A winner of 15 IndyCar races and the championship in 1997 and 1998, Zanardi inspired millions around the world following a horrific accident at the EuropSpeedway Lausitz in Germany in September 2001, which resulted in the Itallian driver having both of his legs amputated.
Twenty months later in May 2003, he made an emotional return to the Lausitzring and drove 13 laps at speed in a Reynard Indy car fitted with hand controls to “finish the race.” The experience inspired Zanardi to return to auto racing full-time, where driving for BMW, he scored four sports car wins in the World Touring Car Championship between 2005-09.
He then took on the new challenge of hand cycling and won his division in the 2011 New York Marathon before earning four gold and two silver medals in the 2012 and 2016 Paralympic Games. His final car race came at IMSA’s 2019 Rolex 24 At Daytona, where he shared a BMW M8 GTE with Jesse Krohn, John Edwards, and Chaz Mostert at the Daytona International Speedway.
Alex’s resilience was put to the ultimate test when he suffered a devastating hand bike crash in Italy in June 2020 that put him in an induced coma and led to his withdrawal from public life. He passed away peacefully at home the evening of May 1, in the company of his wife Daniella and son Niccolo.
“Alex Zanardi was a magnificent IndyCar Series champion, and his remarkable abilities on track are legendary and timeless,” IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles said. “His list of wins and accomplishments run alongside an even more impressive legacy of courage, inspiration and determination, which he showed during his life’s journey.”
“Alex will always remain one of the most admired racers of our sport and is a shining example of the attributes it takes to be a champion.”
IMSA President John Doonan also paid tribute to Zanardi.
“He will forever be known for his accomplishments, not just on the racetrack, but as a one-of-a-kind and genuine personality,” Doonan stated. “From unforgettable moments on racetracks all over the world – including his last-lap pass for victory in The Corkscrew right here at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca where we are racing this weekend – to his remarkable achievements as a Paralympic gold-medal winner and Ironman record holder, Alex was an inspiration and exemplified the epitome of perseverance to anyone who had the good fortune to encounter him or learn his story.
“Having him join us for the 2019 Rolex 24 At Daytona as a competitor remains a cherished memory for our IMSA community and everybody who attended or viewed that event,” Doonan added. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, his teammates, and his many friends all over the world.”
IMSA team co-owner Jimmy Vasser was a teammate to Zanardi with Chip Ganassi Racing.
“In 1998, we went 1-2 in the championship, and that for me, is the greatest year in my racing career as a driver, for sure,” Vasser said. “And Alex and I, over the course of the three years that we raced together, developed one of the best friendships of a lifetime. We had the most fun. It was competitive, but truly, I was happy for him when he did well and won, and I felt the same from him to me when I did well. He was truly happy for me.
“He was one of one.”
