Zanardi the Great

[Osella]

If you need any sign of how much more coverage just about any racing series gets than gt racing, you only need to look at the situation after Mr Zanardi's terrible accident. Nowhere in the potted career histories trotted out do you see any mention of his Lotus GT drives, at least none that I've seen. It is alleged he drove for free, just to be in a works team after the sad loss of the F1 team, and at Silverstone he was simply incredible. This was my first time spectating anything other than banger racing at Wimbledon (don't knock it, it's great)and Zanardi amazed us all by coming second in the pouring rain, beating all but one of the seven (?) McLarens in the race. I was at Club corner and his speed was just breathtaking.
There, I needed to tell you all that.
We'll see him race again one day, I have no doubt.

[Aysedasi]

I was there that day, Osella (BPR 1995, I think?), and funnily enough, I managed to sneak into the pit garages when I wasn't supposed to, and got quite a nice shot of Alex. I thought about posting it on my site a while back, just after his accident, but my wife suggested that would be lacking in taste! I'll have to try and dig it out.

[Maisie]

From Autosport:

"Former Champ Car and Formula 1 ace Alex Zanardi is due to take his first steps later this week just under three months after losing both his legs during the German round of this year's CART championship.

Zanardi, who collided with Alex Tagliani at close to 200mph during September's German 500, has been in training since leaving hospital at the end of October, ready to be fitted with prosthetic limbs. The treatment is expected to take up to three months before he is back to almost full mobility with his new legs, but he is not afraid of the task ahead.

"I was scheduled to take my first steps in the second week of December, but for me that's late," said Zanardi. "I was ready a month ago. It will be like a job, from nine to five every day, as I learn to walk again.

"They have you walk on a road with camber and I am not afraid of that - I am looking forward to it. They say the procedure takes two to three months and it's a lot of hard work from Monday to Friday, but I am ready."

The two-time CART champion has surprised doctors with the speed of his recovery and he is already back behind the wheel driving himself to and from his treatment sessions in Bologna and his Monaco home.

"It is quite enjoyable," said the 34-year-old. "The first couple of times you go for the brake, it's instinct and you realise that you don’t have that option. But it only took a few minutes to get used to it. It's like riding a bike or playing with a ball. At the end the day, you never forget how to do it.""

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I'm astounded that he's already driving himself around and making such awesome progress. I'm also deeply impressed and inspired by his courage and determination. Any pictures you can post of him, far from being in bad taste, will honour a man of such brave spirit.

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by Maisie
Any pictures you can post of him, far from being in bad taste, will honour a man of such brave spirit.

OK. I've found the shot I was thinking of. Just got to scan it and put it up (later this weekend, probably).

[Aysedasi]

Here 'tis.

[Speedworx]

In one of our national newspaper, there is a pic of Zanardi in the specially fitted car that he drives. I'll scan it and put it up tomorrow.

[Aysedasi]

If anyone's interested, pics of that 1995 BPR race are here....

http://www.aysedasi.btinternet.co.uk...tra/extra4.htm

[AllonFS]

Thanks for the photos Aysedasi, can't wait for the historic sportscars in the next archive update.

On the Zanardi topic, I really appreciate his outlook on life. How many of us would be able to focus on what we still had, rather than what we had lost? I know he mentioned Sept 11th at one stage as an illustration that he was more fortunate than those poor souls, but he is still a remarkable man.

It's a pity that while I have no doubt he will drive competitively again in an adapted race car, this will rule him out of Le Mans. Maybe a support race one year? Think of the reception he would get!