Zanardi, four-time Paralympic champion and ex-F1 driver, dies aged 59
FILE PHOTO - Italian Paralympian Alessandro Zanardi pictured during the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Former Formula One driver and Paralympian Zanardi has died at the age of 59, his family said in a statement on Saturday. Jens Büttner/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa Paralympic champion and ex-Formula One driver Alessandro 'Alex' Zanardi has died at the age of 59, his family said in a statement on Saturday.
The Italian lost both legs in a car racing accident at the Lausitzring circuit in Germany in 2001. He then astounded the sporting world by taking up para-cycling, winning four golds and two silver medals at the Paralympics. Zanardi had competed in more than 40 Formula One races between 1991 and 1999.
He drove for the likes of Lotus and Williams, where he was a team-mate of Ralf Schumacher. He scored one solitary point. His family did not provide details about the cause of death.
They said Zanardi died suddenly on Friday evening. "Alex fell asleep peacefully, surrounded by the affection of his loved ones," their statement said. After his Formula One career ended, he suffered the life-changing accident after a pit-stop during a CART series race at the Lausitzring.
His legs had to be amputated. He later enjoyed success in hand-cycling at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London and the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Cycling's governing body the UCI said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Alessandro Zanardi.