Zanardi's F1 comeback ends early
(AP)Updated: 2006-11-27 09:18 VALENCIA, Spain - Five years after losing his legs in a horrific crash, Alex Zanardi accomplished the last thing left on his comeback list: driving a Formula One car.
The 40-year-old Italian became the first double amputee to test drive an F1 car on Saturday. Although engine failure caused the car to stall at the end of pit lane in the final session Sunday, the point had been made.
 Two-time CART champion Alex Zanardi, who lost both of his legs in a horrific crash over five years ago, center, is congratulated by BMW-Sauber team members after his last test at Cheste racetrack near Valencia, Spain, Sunday Nov. 26, 2006. Zanardi is the first double amputee to test drive a Formula One car. [AP] |
Zanardi can still drive, even without legs.
"This was a very special weekend for me," he said. "All I've done in my racing career was driven by passion, so how could I not enjoy such an opportunity to be once again back in the fastest thing on earth - an F1 car."
Zanardi, who last drove an F1 car in 1999, reached a top speed of 177 mph. He lowered his time from 1 minute, 27.20 seconds to 1:19.70 over the 17 laps at the 2.5-mile Cheste circuit. BMW-Sauber's third driver, Sebastien Vettel, timed 1:18.60 in the same car on Saturday.
In September 2001, Zanardi lost control of his car coming out of the pits and swerved into the path of Alex Tagliani, who plowed into him at about 200 mph. The impact cut Zinardi's car in half, put him into a one-week coma and cost him his legs.
But it never cost him his spirit.
"It was really hard for me to put things back in the right perspective, but then one day went by and another day and things didn't look as bad as before," Zanardi said. "Suddenly, things weren't black but gray, then dirty white and I progressed to find some way to make it to the top again. It was never a question of not doing it but of finding a different way."
About two years after the crash, Zanardi returned to complete the final 12 laps he never finished in Klettwitz, Germany. He has won two races in the world touring cars championship since, and won't be satisfied until he wins a title in his BMW 320i next year.
"The hungriest people are the ones who come across the odds. If you come from further away your chance to succeed is much smaller," Zanardi said. "But if you do it and you catch the others who have already started from a much higher level, you will watch them eat your dust."
Mechanics had only three prior meetings and four test laps Thursday to fine tune the BMW-Sauber C-24B for Zanardi.
"I was surprised by how fast he (Zanardi) went," BMW-Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld said. "Actually, I shouldn't really say I'm all that surprised because I know how fast he was before."
Mechanics reworked the steering wheel and moved the brake to accommodate Zanardi's stronger right limb. To fit into the car, Zanardi shortened his prosthetic leg by an inch and downsized from a size 9 shoe to 4 1/2.
"Half of the stuff on here, I don't even know how it works," Zanardi said, joking. "But miraculously, everything worked as it is supposed to. The team did an amazing job considering we only came together this weekend.
"Of course you always want something more and it's tough to take when you go out and the car quits on you. It's unfortunate, but now I have unfinished business. If another opportunity presents itself, I would definitely not step back from taking it. We have a seat, controls, and a car, so why not?"
Zanardi, who won CART championships in 1997 and '98, holds the modern CART record for points in a season, with 285 in 1998. He also holds the CART record for most consecutive poles (six), front-row starts (11) and top-three finishes in a season (15).
The former Minardi, Jordan and Williams driver had an unspectacular F1 career, with a sixth-place finish for Lotus at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 1993 his best showing in 41 races. But this drive was about much more than racing.
"Quite frankly, I'm here to enjoy this myself. But we want to let people know this can be achieved, this can be done. We just need to use the technology to prove it can be done."
Not everyone needed convincing.
"It's something I believed he would do from the day of his accident," said Dr. Claudio Costa, who oversaw Zanardi's rehabilitation. "He's a very strong man. To see him racing in here today is what gives meaning to my work. It's a great day."
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