Alex Zanardi, the Italian racing star who reinvented himself as a Paralympic champion after two devastating crashes, has died. He was 59.
Zanardi’s family announced Saturday that he died 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.
Zanardi’s life became a global story of grit and reinvention, first on the track and later on the world’s biggest stage for adaptive sports.
He won two CART championships in the United States in 1997 and 1998, becoming a fan favorite with his aggressive driving style and charisma before a brief move to Formula One.
Alex Zandari
In 2001, he returned to CART and was racing in Germany when a horrific crash severed both legs. The accident happened the weekend after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The series raced because it was already overseas and could not return to the U.S.
Zanardi refused to disappear. During his recovery, he designed his own prosthetics and joked that he had made himself taller. He learned to walk again, then aimed higher.
He took up hand cycling and quickly became one of the sport’s elite. Zanardi won four gold medals and two silvers at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics, competed in the New York City Marathon and set an Ironman record.
Italy’s leaders and sports institutions praised him as more than a champion.
“Italy loses a great champion and an extraordinary man, capable of turning every challenge of life into a lesson in courage, strength, and dignity,” Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said on X.
“Alex Zanardi knew how to bounce back every time, facing even the toughest challenges with determination, clarity, and a strength of spirit that was truly exceptional,” Meloni added. “With his sporting achievements, with his example, and with his humanity, he gave all of us much more than a victory: he gave hope, pride, and the strength to never give up. On behalf of myself and the government, I extend my heartfelt thoughts and the sincerest closeness to his family and to all those who loved him. Thank you for everything, Alex.”
Rip legend 🏆
> Be Alex Zanardi
> Born 1966, Bologna, Italy 🇮🇹
> Sister dies in a car crash at 13
> Early confrontation with loss
> No elite path
> Marries Daniela, son Niccolò
> From karting to Formula 1, then CART
> Two CART titles (1997–98), 15 wins
> Fearless,… https://t.co/BcDPWfSvAv pic.twitter.com/QyfigDPH5a
— Mambo Italiano (@mamboitaliano__) May 2, 2026
In 2019, Zanardi returned to the U.S. to race for BMW at the Rolex 24 at Daytona without his prosthetics, drawing admiration across the paddock. Drivers lined up for photos and hung on his stories, struck by how much he had packed into the years since his crash.
In 2020, Zanardi suffered another severe injury in a handbike accident in Tuscany after crashing into an oncoming truck during a relay event. He sustained serious facial and cranial trauma and was placed in a medically induced coma.
The FIA said on X that Zanardi’s racing career and “journey from life-changing accident to Paralympics gold medalist made him one of sport’s most admired competitors and an enduring symbol of courage and determination.”
Known for his infectious smile and big-hearted storytelling, Zanardi was praised by Pope Francis after the 2020 crash as an example of strength amid adversity. Francis penned a handwritten letter of encouragement assuring Zanardi and his family of his prayers.
Zanardi’s family said it “thanks everyone who is sharing their support right now and asks for respect during this time of mourning.”
Funeral details had not been announced.
The Italian Olympic Committee called for a minute of silence at all sports events in Italy over the weekend to honor him.
“We’ve lost a great champion and a great man, who was capable of bouncing back multiple times when faced with life’s difficulties,” CONI president Luciano Buonfiglio said.
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