Ex-Formula One driver who lost both legs in a racing crash and went on to win four Paralympic gold medals has passed away.

Alex Zanardi’s story has always been defined less by the severity of his crashes and more by the force of his comebacks. After a modest Formula One career, he found major success in CART in the United States, earning widespread respect long before adversity reshaped his life.

When a devastating 2001 crash at the Lausitzring cost him both legs, he responded not with retreat but reinvention. Working with prosthetics he helped design himself—joking that they even made him “taller”—he relearned how to walk and then how to race again, refusing to let the accident define his limits.

He went on to become a Paralympic legend, winning four gold medals and two silvers, and later competing in endurance events like marathons and Ironman races. His return to iconic circuits such as Daytona was met with admiration that went far beyond motorsport.

Even after a further serious handbike accident in 2020, he continued to receive global messages of support, with figures from across sport and public life recognizing him as a symbol of resilience. His legacy remains tied not only to victory, but to an extraordinary ability to keep rebuilding after every setback.