Alex Zanardi, the man who never stopped fighting, has died.

It was through a statement from the family, relayed by the Italian media, that we learned of Alex Zanardi's disappearance. It is with deep sadness that the family announces the sudden passing of Alessandro Zanardi, which occurred last night, May 1st. . Alex passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family. The family sincerely thanks everyone who has expressed their condolences and requests respect for their grief and privacy. is it thus indicated while Information regarding the funeral arrangements will be provided at a later date.

Alessandro Zanardi was born on October 23, 1966, in Bologna, Italy. Passionate about motorsport from childhood, he was already racing karts at the age of 14. He made his debut in Formula 1 in 1991 with the Jordan team, before racing for Minardi, Lotus and WilliamsDespite his undeniable talent, he never found the ideal car to truly establish himself in the top category of motorsport. He competed in 44 Grands Prix and scored only one point.

It was across the Atlantic that his career truly took off. His crowning achievement came in the United States, in the CART series with the Ganassi team: he won the title in 1997 and 1998, becoming a crowd favorite thanks to his spectacular overtaking maneuvers. Chip Ganassi himself simply wrote this Friday: No words can express my feelings about this guy. #ilikewinners. '(' I have no words to express my feelings about this boy. ")

No words can express my feelings about this guy.#ilikewinners pic.twitter.com/QB5jtGl3xB

— Chip Ganassi (@GanassiChip) May 2, 2026

The pilot who became a Paralympic champion

September 15, 2001 will remain one of the most unbearable images in the history of motorsport. At the Lausitzring, in Germany, during a round of the Champ Car championship, the car Zanardi's car was violently struck by Alex Tagliani's after a pit stop. In the accident, he lost both legs, which had to be amputated. He narrowly escaped death from hemorrhage but never lost consciousness.

Far from being defeated, Alex Zanardi rewrote his story. After the accident and the amputation of his legs, he dedicated himself to para-cycling and won four gold medals and two silver medals at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. His smile, his energy and his ability to bounce back make him much more than a sports champion: a universal symbol of resilience and love of life.

Even his story with motorsport didn't end with that accident. As early as 2003, he was back at the same Lausitzring circuit, driving a single-seater adapted to his disability, to complete the thirteen laps he hadn't been able to finish two years earlier. He set a time that would have placed him fifth on the grid for that weekend's race.

Signed by BMW Italy from 2004, he competed in the European Touring Car Championship (which became the WTCC in 2005) with a specially equipped car, and once again proved capable of the impossible: victory at Oschersleben in 2005 in the Italian Super Touring Championship, then in the WTCC at Istanbul in 2006, and then at Brno in 2007. Although he temporarily retired in 2009, he competed in the Blancpain Sprint Series in 2014, two rounds of the DTM in 2018 and the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2019, always with the propeller company.

On June 19, 2020, during a charity handbike relay on the SS146 highway in Pienza, Tuscany, he lost control of his bike and violently collided with an oncoming truck. The impact was devastating. He was in a coma for over a month, underwent numerous surgeries, and was transferred to several specialized facilities, including the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan. In January 2021, he regained consciousness.

Alex Zanardi finally passed away on May 1st, the same day that, 32 years earlier, had claimed another giant of the racing world: Ayrton Senna. He leaves behind a legacy of challenges, courage, and a rare human and moral grandeur.

In 2017, he founded the agency Obiettivo 3, whose goal was to recruit, launch, and provide concrete support to people with disabilities in elite sports. Alex Zanardi was not just a champion. He was living proof that the human spirit can overcome the insurmountable. His smile will remain etched in the memory of the sporting world and far beyond. The entire AUTOhebdo team extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Alessandro Zanardi.