Zanardi drove in Formula One before moving to the Target/Chip Ganassi CART IndyCar team in 1996, capturing rookie of the year honours and back-to-back Championships in 1997 and 1998. 

But Zanardi lost his legs in a horrendous crash during a race in Germany in 2001, requiring 16 operations in 48 days before he was able to leave the hospital. 

Everyone believed Zanardi's career was over except the man himself.

He designed and built custom prosthetic legs and set about returning to motorsport.

Using hand-operated accelerator and brakes, he tested a CART car before competing successfully in the World Touring Car Championship.

Meanwhile, Zanardi had taken up hand cycling as part of his fitness regime, and finished fourth in the 2007 New York Marathon City with minimal training.

In 2009 he quit motorsport to concentrate on his bid to represent Italy at the 2012 Paralympic Games.


At the age of 45, Zanardi completed his rebirth with two gold medals at the Paralympics in London.

Zanardi lit up Brands Hatch race track in Kent, where he claimed gold in the H4 handcycle time trial.

Two days later he won the road race, then helped Italy to a silver medal in the team relay.

Zanardi confirmed earlier this week his plans to defend his titles at Rio 2016, but has admitted that he is still drawn to motor racing.

"My heart belongs to motorsport," he said. 

Zanardi will join other racing and motorsports industry legends at this year's Silver Anniversary inductees into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America at the organisation's 25th Annual Induction Ceremony that is due to be held on August 21 at the Fillmore Theater in Detroit.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
March 2013: There is a "90 per cent" chance I will go to Rio 2016 says Zanardi
December 2012: Zanardi heads IPC's top 50 Paralympic Moments of 2012
December 2012: Zanardi turns down chance to return to motor racing full-time to concentrate on handbiking
December 2012: Tom Degun - Why Alex Zanardi should be the 2012 BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year
November 2012: Zanardi says it would be "exciting" to try to compete at Rio 2016