Alex Zanardi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alex Zanardi
Zanardi in 2011
Nationality	Italian
Born	Alessandro Zanardi (1966-10-23) 23 October 1966 (age 58) Bologna, Italy
Debut season	2005
World Touring Car Championship
Teams	BMW Team Italy-Spain
Car no.	9
Starts	105
Wins	4
Poles	1
Fastest laps	4
Best finish	10th in 2005
Previous series
1992, 2005–06 2003–04 1996–98, 2001 1991–94, 99 1989 & 91 1988–90	Italian Superturismo ETCC CART FedEx Championship Series Formula One F3000 International Italian F3
Championship titles
2005 1997–98 1990	Italian Superturismo CART FedEx Championship Series European F3 Cup
Formula One World Championship career
Active years	1991–1994, 1999
Teams	Jordan, Minardi, Lotus, Williams
Entries	44 (41 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	1
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1991 Spanish Grand Prix
Last entry	1999 Japanese Grand Prix
Champ Car career
66 races run over 4 years
Years active	1996–1998, 2001
Team(s)	Chip Ganassi Racing Mo Nunn Racing
Best finish	1st (1997), (1998)
First race	1996 Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami (Homestead)
Last race	2001 American Memorial (Lausitz)
First win	1996 Budweiser/G. I. Joe's 200 (Portland)
Last win	1998 Honda Indy 300 (Surfers Paradise)
Wins Podiums Poles 15 28 10
Medal record Men's para-cycling Representing  Italy Paralympic Games Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Road time trial (H5) Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Mixed Team Relay (H2-5) Gold 2012 London Road time trial (H4) Gold 2012 London Road race (H4) Silver 2016 Rio de Janeiro Road race (H5) Silver 2012 London Road team relay World Championships Gold 2013 Baie-Comeau Road time trial (H5) Gold 2013 Baie-Comeau Road relay (H5) Gold 2013 Baie-Comeau Road race (H5) Gold 2014 Greenville Road time trial (H5) Gold 2014 Greenville Road relay (H5) Gold 2015 Nottwil Time trial (H5) Gold 2015 Nottwil Road Race (H5) Gold 2015 Nottwil Road relay (H5) Gold 2017 Pietermaritzburg Road Race (H5) Gold 2017 Pietermaritzburg Road relay (H5) Gold 2019 Emmen Time trial (H5) Gold 2019 Emmen Road relay (H5) Silver 2011 Roskilde Road time trial (H4) Silver 2014 Greenville Road race (H5) Silver 2017 Pietermaritzburg Road time trial (H5) Silver 2018 Maniago Road relay (H5) Silver 2019 Emmen Road Race (H5) Bronze 2018 Maniago Road time trial (H5)

Alessandro "Alex" Zanardi (born October 23, 1966) is an amazing Italian athlete. He is famous for being a professional racing driver and a paracyclist. Alex won the CART championship twice, in 1997 and 1998. He also raced in Formula One from 1991 to 1994, and again in 1999.

In 2001, Alex had a very serious crash during a CART race. This accident caused him to lose both of his legs. But Alex didn't give up! Less than two years later, he was back to racing cars. He also started competing in handcycling, a type of cycling for people with disabilities. He even won gold medals at the 2012 Summer Paralympics and the 2016 Summer Paralympics. His story is a true example of courage and determination.

Alex Zanardi's Early Life

Alex Zanardi was born in Bologna, Italy, on October 23, 1966. His family moved to Castel Maggiore when he was four. Sadly, his sister Cristina, who was a great swimmer, died in a car crash in 1979.

Alex started racing karts when he was 13. He even built his first kart from old parts! In 1988, he joined the Italian Formula 3 series. He then moved up to Formula 3000 in 1991. He won his very first race in that series and finished second overall that season.

Alex's Motor Racing Career

Racing in Formula One

After doing well in Formula 3000, Alex got a chance to race in Formula One. He joined the Jordan team for the last three races of the 1991 season. In 1993, he joined the Lotus team. He scored his only Formula One point at the 1993 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Alex had some tough luck in Formula One. He was injured in a bicycle accident and later had a crash during practice. Lotus also struggled in 1994, which was their last season in F1. Alex left Formula One after 1994.

Winning in CART Racing

Zanardi racing in Vancouver

In 1995, Alex moved to the United States to race in the CART Series. He joined Chip Ganassi Racing. He quickly became a fan favorite. In his first year, he won three races and six pole positions. He finished third in the championship and was named Rookie of the Year.

One of his most famous wins was at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 1996. He made an incredible overtake called "The Pass" at a tricky corner. Alex became super dominant in 1997 and 1998. He won five races in 1997 and seven races in 1998. This led him to win the CART Drivers' Championship two years in a row!

After winning a race, Alex loved to spin his car in circles. This made cool "doughnut" patterns on the track. This celebration became very popular in racing.

Returning to Formula One (Briefly)

Zanardi driving for Williams at the 1999 Canadian Grand Prix

Alex's success in CART caught the eye of Frank Williams, who owned the Williams Formula One team. Alex signed a three-year contract and returned to F1 in 1999. However, his return was not as successful as he hoped. He faced many challenges with the car and had several retirements. At the end of the 1999 season, Alex and the Williams team decided to part ways.

The Lausitzring Accident

Zanardi at the 1998 CART grand prix in Laguna Seca

Alex returned to CART racing in 2001 with Mo Nunn Racing. On September 15, 2001, he was in a very serious accident at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz track. After a pit stop, his car spun and was hit by another car. This terrible crash caused Alex to lose both of his legs. Doctors worked quickly to save his life.

After the accident, Alex showed incredible strength. He later said, "When I woke up without legs I looked at the half that was left, not the half that was lost." This quote shows his amazing positive attitude.

Life and Racing After the Accident

Alex was fitted with prosthetic legs and started his rehabilitation. He even designed his own special legs to help him race again. In 2003, Alex returned to the track. He drove the 13 laps he couldn't finish at the Lausitzring in 2001. His lap time was so fast, it would have placed him fifth in the actual race!

Zanardi driving a BMW 320si WTCC car at Brands Hatch in 2008

In 2004, Alex started racing full-time again in touring cars. He drove for BMW Team Italy-Spain. In 2005, he won his first world series race since the accident. He celebrated with his famous "doughnuts"! He won more races in 2006, 2008, and 2009.

Alex even tested a Formula One car again in 2006. The car was specially changed so he could use hand controls. He also raced in the DTM series in 2018 and the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race. He continued to show that anything is possible with determination.

The Alex Zanardi Edition NSX

In 1999, Honda created a special car called the "Alex Zanardi Edition Acura NSX." This car was made to celebrate Alex's two CART championship wins with Honda. Only 51 of these special, lightweight cars were ever built. They were all painted in a bright red color, just like his winning race car.

Handcycling and Triathlon Achievements

After his racing accident, Alex found a new passion: handcycling. This is a type of cycling where you use your arms to pedal. In 2007, he finished fourth in the New York City Marathon handcycle division, after only a few weeks of training!

Alex set a goal to represent Italy at the 2012 Summer Paralympics. He worked incredibly hard. In 2011, he won his first international handcycling medal, a silver. Then, in September 2012, his dream came true! He won two gold medals at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London for handcycling. He also won a silver medal in the team relay. The bike he used was built by an Italian racecar company called Dallara.

Alex continued to achieve amazing things. He completed the 2014 Ironman World Championship, which is a super tough race involving swimming, cycling, and running. He used a handbike for the cycling part and a wheelchair for the running part. At the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, he won two more gold medals and a silver medal. In 2018, he even broke the Ironman world record for disabled athletes!

2020 Cycling Accident and Recovery

On June 19, 2020, Alex was in another serious accident while competing in a handcycling race in Italy. He lost control of his handbike and crashed into a truck. He suffered serious head injuries and was taken to the hospital.

Alex underwent several surgeries and was in a medically induced coma. But once again, he showed his incredible fighting spirit. He slowly began to recover, showing signs of interaction. By December 2020, he had regained his sight and hearing. In January 2021, he was even able to speak again. After 18 months, he was able to return home to continue his recovery.

Alex's Personal Life

Alex Zanardi has been married to Daniela Manni since 1996. They have a son named Niccolò, who was born in 1998. Alex has also co-written two books about his life: Alex Zanardi: My Story and Alex Zanardi: My Sweetest Victory. His inspiring journey has been featured on TV shows like HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.

Alex has received many awards for his achievements and his inspiring comeback. These include the Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year in 2005. He was also added to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2013.

In July 2022, Alex was hospitalized again after a fire at his home. It was caused by a problem with his solar panels. He was released after 76 days and continued his recovery at home.

Alex's Racing Record Summary

Alex Zanardi has had a long and successful career in many different types of racing. Here's a quick look at some of his achievements:

^† As Zanardi was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

Images for kids

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  Zanardi driving for Lotus at the 1994 British Grand Prix.

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  Zanardi at a pre-Grand Prix test at Monza in 1999

See also

In Spanish: Alex Zanardi para niños