Former Formula 1 driver and Paralympic athlete Alex Zanardi dies at 59

Alessandro Zanardi, a 59-year-old former Formula 1 driver and multi-medal-winning Paralympic athlete, has died. Born in Bologna, Zanardi began his Formula 1 career in 1991 and achieved back-to-back CART championships in the United States in 1997 and 1998. In September 2001, he suffered a severe accident during a CART race in Germany, which resulted in the amputation of both his legs. Despite this, he transitioned to handcycling and became a highly successful Paralympian. Zanardi secured four gold medals and two silver medals across the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. His family announced that he passed away peacefully on the night of May 1. The FIA has issued a formal statement expressing condolences regarding his death.