Former Formula 1 driver and multiple Paralympic champion Alex Zanardi has died.

Former Formula 1 driver and four-time Paralympic champion Alessandro Zanardi has died. This was reported on May 2 by the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Alex Zanardi, a former racing driver (44 Formula 1 races), an outstanding Paralympic athlete (lost both legs in a track accident in 2001) and a model of endurance and love of life, has died at the age of 59," the publication says.

The publication does not specify the causes of the athlete's death, but reports that after an accident in which he got into in June 2020 during a charity hand-bike relay race. He underwent complex surgical operations and spent the last years of his life at home, "surrounded by the love of his loved ones."

Zanardi was born in Bologna in October 1966 and grew up in a modest family. At a very young age, he moved with his family to Castel Maggiore, where he became interested in Formula 1 in the world of cars and speed.

His first car appeared relatively late, especially compared to the ever-accelerating pace of modern motorsport: at the age of 14, Dino's father gave him a kart, on which Alex began racing with friends, making his professional racing debut in 1980 at the Vado circuit.

In 1991, Zanardi made his Formula 1 debut as a member of the Jordan team at the Spanish Grand Prix. He performed there for four years without achieving any special results. Left without a contract in 1995, Zanardi quickly became interested in karting and made his CART championship debut in 1996, achieving excellent results from the start and winning two consecutive titles in 1997 and 1998.

While participating in a race in Germany in 2001, due to spilled engine oil on the track, he collided with another participant in the race and was seriously injured: the rider lay in an artificial coma for four days and miraculously survived. However, doctors had to amputate both of his legs.

Since 2007, Zanardi began competing in hand cycling and quickly became one of the world's leading athletes. He has twice set a world record in this sport, and also won two gold and one silver medals at the London 2012 Paralympics. In Rio de Janeiro in 2016, he repeated his result, also taking two first and one second place.