Alessandro "Alex" Zanardi is a renowned Italian professional racing driver and paracyclist. He achieved significant success in CART, winning the championship in 1997 and 1998, with a total of 15 wins. He also participated in Formula One from 1991 to 1994 and briefly in 1999, achieving a best finish of sixth place. A tragic crash in 2001 led to the amputation of both his legs. Displaying remarkable resilience, Zanardi returned to racing in 2003, competing in the European Touring Car Championship and later in the World Touring Car Championship, where he secured four victories. His story highlights remarkable courage and perseverance in overcoming adversity.
October 1966: Birth of Alex Zanardi
Alex Zanardi was born in Bologna, Italy in October 1966.
October 1966: Birth of Alex Zanardi
Alex Zanardi was born in Bologna, Italy in October 1966.
1979: Death of Sister Cristina
Zanardi's sister, Cristina, died in a car accident in 1979.
1988: Karting Beginnings
Zanardi began racing karts at the age of 13 in 1988.
1989: Italian Formula 3
Zanardi competed in the Italian Formula 3 series in 1989.
1991: Formula One Debut
Alex Zanardi made his Formula One debut in 1991.
1991: Formula One Debut
Zanardi made his F1 debut with Jordan in the final races of 1991.
1991: Formula 3000 Debut and Success
Zanardi moved up to Formula 3000 in 1991, winning his debut race and finishing second overall.
1992: Minardi Drive
Zanardi had guest drives for Minardi in F1 in 1992.
1993: F1 Point, Injury, and Concussion
In 1993, Zanardi scored a point in F1, suffered a foot injury in a cycling accident, and sustained a concussion during practice.
1993: Lotus F1 Season
Zanardi drove for Lotus in the 1993 F1 season.
1993: Formula One Point and Injury
Zanardi scored his only F1 point at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 1993 but suffered injuries later in the season.
1994: Potential Benetton Opportunity
Zanardi realized he missed a potential opportunity to drive for Benetton in 1994.
1994: Final Formula One Season
Zanardi competed in his final Formula One season with Lotus in 1994.
1994: Lotus Test Driver and Spanish GP
In 1994, Zanardi was a Lotus test driver and returned to racing in the Spanish Grand Prix, replacing the injured Pedro Lamy.
October 1995: CART Test and Contract
In October 1995, Zanardi secured a test drive and subsequently signed a contract with Chip Ganassi Racing for the CART series.
1996: Marriage to Daniela Manni
Alex Zanardi married Daniela Manni in 1996.
1996: Laguna Seca Victory and "The Pass"
Zanardi won the final race of the 1996 CART season at Laguna Seca with a memorable overtake at the Corkscrew, known as "The Pass".
1997: Contact with Williams
Zanardi contacted Williams F1 team in 1997 expressing his availability for a contract.
1997: Dominant CART Season and Championship
Zanardi won five races in the 1997 CART season, securing the Drivers' Championship.
1997: CART Championship Victory
Zanardi won his first CART championship in 1997.
July 1998: Williams F1 Contract
Zanardi signed a three-year contract with Williams F1 in July 1998.
September 1998: Birth of Niccolò
Alex Zanardi's son, Niccolò, was born in September 1998.
1998: Autosport Gregor Grant Award
Alex Zanardi received the Autosport Gregor Grant Award in 1998.
1998: Second CART Championship
In 1998, Zanardi dominated the CART series, winning seven races and his second championship.
1998: Second CART Championship Victory
Zanardi secured his second consecutive CART championship in 1998.
1999: Return to Formula One
Zanardi returned to Formula One racing in 1999.
2000: Interest in CART Return
In 2000, Zanardi expressed interest in returning to CART and tested for Mo Nunn.
2001: CART Crash and Amputation
A major crash during the 2001 American Memorial resulted in the amputation of Zanardi's legs.
2001: Return to CART with Mo Nunn
Zanardi signed with Mo Nunn Racing for the 2001 CART season.
2003: Autosport Gregor Grant Award
Alex Zanardi received the Autosport Gregor Grant Award for the second time in 2003.
2003: Return to Racing
Zanardi returned to racing in the European Touring Car Championship in 2003.
2004: Book Releases
In 2004, Zanardi co-authored two books about his life: "Alex Zanardi: My Story" and "Alex Zanardi: My Sweetest Victory".
2004: European Touring Car Championship
Zanardi competed in the European Touring Car Championship in 2004.
2005: World Touring Car Championship
Zanardi began competing in the World Touring Car Championship in 2005.
2005: Laureus World Sports Award
Zanardi was awarded the Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year in 2005.
2009: Last WTCC Season
Zanardi competed in his last World Touring Car Championship season in 2009.
September 2011: First International Handcycling Medal
Zanardi won his first senior international handcycling medal (silver) at the UCI World Road Para-Cycling Championships in September 2011.
September 2012: Paralympic Gold Medals
Zanardi won two gold medals and a silver medal at the London 2012 Paralympics in September 2012.
2013: Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction
In 2013, Zanardi was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
2014: Ironman World Championship
In 2014, Alex Zanardi completed the Ironman World Championship, using a handbike and wheelchair, finishing 272nd overall and 19th in his age category.
September 2015: Berlin Marathon Announcement
In September 2015, Alex Zanardi announced his participation in the Berlin Marathon using a recumbent hand cycle.
2015: Gazzetta Legend Award
Alex Zanardi received the Gazzetta Legend Award in 2015.
September 2016: Rio Paralympics Medals
Zanardi won a gold and a silver medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics in September 2016.
2016: Paralympic Medals
At the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Zanardi won gold in the H5 men's time trial and mixed team relay, and silver in the road race.
September 2018: Ironman World Record
On September 22, 2018, Alex Zanardi broke the Ironman world record for disabled athletes in Cervia, Italy, with a time of 8:26'06, also finishing fifth overall.
June 2020: Handcycling Accident
On June 19, 2020, Zanardi suffered a serious accident during a handcycling race, resulting in severe head injuries.
June 2020: Serious Handcycling Accident
Zanardi was involved in a serious road accident while handcycling in June 2020.
September 2020: Recovery Update
In September 2020, reports indicated Zanardi was showing signs of interaction but remained in serious condition after several surgeries.
November 2020: Hospital Transfer
Zanardi was transferred to a hospital in Padua in November 2020 to continue his recovery closer to home.
December 2020: Sensory Recovery
By December 2020, Zanardi regained his sight and hearing, and could respond non-verbally.
January 2021: Speech Recovery
In January 2021, Zanardi regained his ability to speak after undergoing a waking surgery.
December 2021: Return Home
After 18 months of hospitalization, Zanardi returned home in December 2021 to continue rehabilitation.
July 2022: House Fire and Hospitalization
In July 2022, a fire caused by a defect in his home's solar panels led to Zanardi's hospitalization and damage to his medical equipment.
2022: Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame Induction
Alex Zanardi was inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame in 2022.