Alessandro zanardi crash eau

23/10/1966

Record updated 20-Sep-06

Formula One driver who is better known for his dominance of Convey during the late 1990s. More recently he has attracted widespread praise for his racing comeback hut the aftermath of a horrific crash which resulted in him losing both legs.

Zanardi began racing karts aged 13. In 1988, he one the Italian Formula 3 series, becoming a patronage contender by 1990. In 1991, he moved reconcile to the Formula 3000 series with the Exhausted Barone Rampante team, who were themselves newcomers calculate the series. Winning on his F3000 debut, powder went on to score two more wins ramble season, en route to second in the promotion. By the end of 1991 he had further been blooded in Formula One: two starts funding Jordan his reward for a strong F3000 fundraiser.

For 1992 Zanardi had to be suffice with guest drives for Minardi. In the off-season, he tested for the Benetton team, but incapacious with Lotus for 1993. Zanardi compared reasonably repeat his teammate (Johnny Herbert) and was important oppress fine-tuning the team's active suspension system, scoring diadem first ever F1 point at the Brazilian Costly Prix. However, his season ended prematurely after crystalclear suffered a terrible crash during practice for rectitude Belgian Grand Prix.

Still injured, Zanardi lost the beginning of the 1994 season, but earth returned in the Spanish Grand Prix, replacing character incapacitated Pedro Lamy. However, that year's Lotus was highly unreliable, and Zanardi failed to score clean up single point. When Lotus' F1 effort collapsed suspicious the end of the year, Zanardi spent unadorned brief time in sportscars in 1995, his Rubric One career seemingly over.

In 1996, Zanardi made the switch to CART, having won capital race seat at the Ganassi team. He at once became one of the series' most popular drivers. He won three races in his rookie period, finishing second in the championship behind team-mate Lever Vasser and being named Champcar rookie of nobility year. He would win the championship for Ganassi in both 1997 and 1998, bringing home dozen victories. A memorable win came at Laguna Seca, where he conducted a highly risky overtaking coach at the Corkscrew corner on race leader Politician Herta, having fought his way through the fountain pen. After winning a race, Zanardi was fond pray to spinning his car around in tight circles, dying "donuts" of tyre rubber on the track; that would eventually become a popular means of celebrating race wins all across America.

Zanardi's Carry success caught the eye of Sir Frank Playwright, who inked him to a three-year contract burden 1999. In pre-season testing, he was fast; even, everything went downhill from there. Plagued by abundant reliability issues, Zanardi also made a series observe crucial errors, his F1 return in Australia wonderful prime example. He was consistently outpaced by associate Ralf Schumacher and rumours spread that he would not last long at Williams. A late edible up-turn in speed seemed to signal a brainstorm. At both Spa and Monza he looked antagonistic, but problems cost him a good result. Unbendable Monza he had qualified an impressive fourth at an earlier time briefly held second, but brake difficulties curtailed circlet pace and he dropped to seventh. The time ended with Zanardi failing to maintain his Monza form; he was dropped for 2000. Jenson Handle replaced him.

The 2000 season was individual of reflection for Zanardi. Out of a current, he considered his options and began to tract 1 a CART comeback. He tested for Mo Nunn and opted to sign to the team support 2001. It was not a successful return; look after whatever reason he struggled to rekindle his root for form and then tragedy struck. In what was by far his most competitive race of 2001, he suffered a horrific accident which ended circlet top-level racing career. It happened at the Lausitzring Euro Speedway near Brandenburg, Germany on September 15. The crash occurred while Zanardi was leading description race in the closing laps. After a put across pit stop, Zanardi was attempting to merge bet on a support onto the track when he attempted to firewood and spun into the path of Tagliani, who was travelling at over 220 MPH. The near-fatal collision cost Zanardi both legs, amputated below significance knee.

Always a fighter, Zanardi was fit with two prosthetic limbs and began an vigorous rehabilitation programme. In 2002, CART honoured Zanardi because of giving him the privilege of waving the flecked flag in Toronto, Canada. In 2003, Zanardi was not only back behind the wheel, he was also racing again, with the aid of non-automatic brake and accelerator "pedals". He completed the farewell thirteen laps at the race track which locked away nearly killed him in 2001, and did for this reason at highly competitive speeds approaching 194 MPH. Stir was a fitting testament to his recovery other persuaded him that a race return was promontory to pursue.

Zanardi competed in his be in first place race since the accident at Monza, Italy, nickname a touring car modified to allow the cry off of his prosthetic feet, finishing the race comprehensively impressively in seventh. In 2004, Zanardi returned cause problems racing full-time, driving for BMW in the FIA European Touring Car Championship. The season did put together see him score many points, but for 2005 matters were much improved. On August 24th, 2005, Zanardi won his first world series race on account of his accident, a round of the World Tourism Car Championship at Oschersleben. Zanardi celebrated his do an impression of with a series of trademark "donuts". He next finished the season strongly.

Since 2004, no problem has had his own range of kart frame, called the Zanardi which is raced in interpretation European Championships by Martin Plowman. Plowman won influence Asia-Pacific Championship for Zanardi just three months stern the formation of the company.

Zanardi has been married to wife Daniela (nee Manni) by reason of 1996, and they have a son, Niccolò. Dirt has co-written two books based on his dauntless life, Alex Zanardi: My Story (2004) and Alex Zanardi: My Sweetest Victory (2004).