Alex Zanardi, the Italian former Formula One driver and Paralympic cycling champion, died at age 59, his family said through the charity he founded, Obiettivo3. The family said he died “suddenly” and “peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family and friends.” [1]
Zanardi won four Paralympic gold medals and became a prominent figure in Italian sport after losing both legs in a 2001 crash at Lausitzring. He won two golds at the 2012 London Games and two more at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. [1]
He also raced in Formula One for Jordan, Minardi, Lotus and Williams, and won the CART championship in 1997 and 1998. After a handbike crash in Tuscany in June 2020 that left him with serious head injuries, he returned home 18 months later. [1]
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid tribute to him as “a great champion and an extraordinary man, capable of turning every trial of life into a lesson in courage, strength and dignity.” Cycling federation chief Cordiano Dagnoni said Zanardi “transformed the culture of our country,” bringing hope to many in Italy and around the world. [1]
He is survived by his wife Daniela and son Niccolo. [1]