Ex-Formula One driver turned Paralympic champion Alex Zanardi dies aged 59
Key takeaways
- Zanardi, who lost his legs in a racing crash, was credited with helping transform the perception of disability in Italy.
- Zanardi, one of his country’s most loved and respected sportsmen, who was credited with helping transform the perception of disability in Italy, died on Friday evening.
- In a statement issued on Saturday through the charity he founded, Obiettivo3, his family said he died “suddenly”, but also “peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family and friends”.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Zanardi, who lost his legs in a racing crash, was credited with helping transform the perception of disability in Italy.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Former racing driver and paracyclist, Italian Alex Zanardi takes part in the 23rd Marathon of Rome on April 2, 2017 [AFP]By AFP and Reuters Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026Alex Zanardi, the Italian Formula One driver who became a Paralympic cycling champion after losing both legs in an accident, has died aged 59, his family announced.
Zanardi, one of his country’s most loved and respected sportsmen, who was credited with helping transform the perception of disability in Italy, died on Friday evening.