Alex Zanardi, auto racing champion-turned-Paralympian, dead at 59 after life-altering accidents
Alex Zanardi, the Italian auto racing champion who became a Paralympic gold medalist after losing both legs in a racing crash, has died at the age of 59. His family announced his death, stating he passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones, though no cause was given. Zanardi's resilience and achievements in both motorsports and adaptive athletics made him a globally admired figure.
- ▪Zanardi won CART championships in 1997 and 1998 before a brief stint in Formula One.
- ▪He lost both legs in a 2001 CART racing accident in Germany and later designed his own prosthetics.
- ▪In 2020, he suffered severe injuries in a handbike crash during a relay event in Tuscany.
- ▪Zanardi won four Paralympic gold medals and two silvers across the 2012 and 2016 Games.
- ▪Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Pope Francis both praised Zanardi for his courage and strength.
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Sports Alex Zanardi, auto racing champion-turned-Paralympian, dead at 59 after life-altering accidents By Associated Press Published May 2, 2026, 6:47 a.m. ET Alex Zanardi, the Italian auto racing champion-turned-Paralympic gold medalist whose career was marked by two life-altering accidents, has died. He was 59. Zanardi’s family announced his death on Saturday, saying that he passed away on Friday night. “Alex died peacefully, surrounded by the affection of those closest to him,” the family said in a statement without providing a cause of death. 5 Alex Zanardi kisses the winner’s trophy after winning the Australian Indy Car race on Oct. 19, 1998. AP In 2020, Zanardi was seriously injured in a handbike accident after crashing into an oncoming truck during a relay event in Tuscany.
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