Italian racing driver and Paralympic champion Alex Zanardi has died at the age of 59, his family announced Saturday.
Zanardi died Friday night surrounded by family members and loved ones, according to a statement released by relatives. The family did not disclose a cause of death.
“Alex died peacefully, surrounded by the affection of those closest to him,” the family said in the statement announcing the death of the former racing champion and adaptive sports icon.
Zanardi became internationally known during the 1990s through his success in CART racing in the U.S., where he won championships in 1997 and 1998.
The Italian driver developed a reputation for aggressive driving, dramatic overtakes and an energetic personality that made him one of the series’ most recognizable international stars during his racing career.
After success in CART, Zanardi briefly moved to Formula One before later returning to CART competition in 2001 following several seasons competing internationally at the highest levels of motorsports.
That same year, Zanardi suffered a catastrophic crash during a race in Germany that resulted in both of his legs being severed in one of motorsports’ most devastating accidents.
The race occurred days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against the US. CART officials continued the event because teams and personnel were already overseas and unable to immediately return home.
Following the crash, Zanardi underwent extensive rehabilitation and later designed specialized prosthetics while learning to walk again during a lengthy and widely publicized recovery process.
Rather than leaving athletics entirely, Zanardi transitioned into adaptive sports and became one of the world’s top hand cyclists while competing internationally for Italy in Paralympic competition.
He won four gold medals and two silver medals during the 2012 and 2016 Paralympic Games while also competing in endurance events, including the New York City Marathon and Ironman competitions, as Trending Politics reported.
In 2019, Zanardi returned to the US to compete for BMW during the Rolex 24 at Daytona, where fellow drivers and teams praised his resilience and determination.
A year later, Zanardi suffered another major accident while participating in a relay handbike event in Tuscany when he collided with an oncoming truck during the competition.
The crash caused severe facial and cranial injuries and left Zanardi hospitalized in a medically induced coma while supporters around the world followed updates on his condition and recovery.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised Zanardi as a symbol of courage, determination and resilience following news of his death.
The FIA described Zanardi as one of motorsports’ most admired competitors, while the Italian Olympic Committee ordered a minute of silence at sporting events throughout Italy during the weekend in his honor.
