SIENA, Italy — Two-time CART champion Alex Zanardi has been transferred from Santa Maria alle Scotte hospital to a rehabilitation center as he continues to recover from injuries suffered in a June 19 handbike crash.
Zanardi, 53, suffered serious head injuries in the handbike crash, which took place during a Paralympic event in Tuscany, Italy. Zanardi reportedly lost control of his handbike and was struck by an oncoming truck.
He suffered facial and cranial trauma in the crash, and also may have suffered brain damage. Since the incident Zanardi has undergone three surgeries at Santa Maria alle Scotte to repair the damage and had been in a medically induced coma. It is unknown if Zanardi is awake or not.
In a statement, hospital officials confirmed Zanardi had been transferred to a neuro-rehabilitation center to begin his recovery from the incident.
“The stability of the general clinical conditions and the neurological picture allowed the transfer … to a specialized recovery and functional rehabilitation center,” the statement read. “Alex Zanardi was therefore transferred today (Tuesday) to another facility.”
The Italian racer competed in Formula One and CART, earning two CART Indy car championships. A crash at EuroSpeedway Lausitz in Klewttwitz, Germany, in 2001 resulted in the amputation of both of his legs.
After recovering, Zanardi returned to competitive sports. He’s earned four gold medals during the Paralympic Games in 2012 and ’16 and even returned to racing, winning four times with the World Touring Car Championship from 2005-’09. He also raced in the 2019 edition of the Rolex 24 at Daytona Int’l Speedway in a specially modified BMW M8 GTE.