Alex Zanardi, the former Formula 1 driver and Paralympic champion, has died at the age of 59, his family confirmed. The Italian sporting icon passed away on Friday evening, 1 May, surrounded by his loved ones.
The FIA is saddened to learn of the passing of Alex Zanardi, the former Formula 1 driver, two-time CART champion whose journey from life-changing accident to Paralympics gold medallist made him one of sport’s most admired competitors and an enduring symbol of courage and… pic.twitter.com/CCMjUS7lbh
— FIA (@fia) May 2, 2026
Born in Bologna, Zanardi built his first sporting life in motorsport, racing in Formula 1 before becoming a major figure in American CART, where he won back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998. His life changed dramatically in 2001 after a horrific crash in Germany led to the amputation of both legs.
2001 – Zanardi’s life changing crash#OnThisDay 15 September 2001, Italian and ex-F1 racing driver Alex Zanardi suffered a massive crash while competing in the Cart series in Germany. Despite the severity of the accident, Zanardi miraculously survived but had to undergo the… pic.twitter.com/35dXRgyEJE
— Formula One History (@F1History1950) September 15, 2025
But Zanardi refused to be defined by tragedy. He rebuilt himself through handcycling and became one of the great symbols of the Paralympic movement, winning four gold medals and two silver medals at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
In 2020, he suffered another devastating accident during a charity handbike event in Tuscany, sustaining serious head injuries. Once again, his fight became a symbol of courage far beyond sport.
Zanardi leaves behind not only medals, titles and victories, but a legacy of resilience, humanity and defiance. He was more than a driver, more than a Paralympian, and more than a champion. He was one of sport’s rare figures who taught the world how to live after life had tried to break him.
