Last month, former CART champion and F1 driver Alessandro ‘Alex’ Zanardi had a terrifying crash in a Handbike event. This was enough to land him in hospital and in a coma.

Now, the veteran Italian is on the mend at a rehabilitation clinic in Milan, but he has since been transferred to Intensive Care.

Worryingly, Zanardi’s son Niccolo admitted his fears of his father losing his eyesight and his ability to communicate. He confessed that the rehabilitation process could take a long time.

As it turns out, the veteran racer suffered serious facial and head injuries when a lorry struck his handbike at a demonstration event.

Alex Zanardi: Racing Career in F1 and IndyCar

Chronologically, the 53-year old, raced in F1 from 1991 to 1994, before switching to the CART IndyCar series from 1996 to 98. In 1999, he was back in Formula One, before going back to IndyCar in 2001.

While not particularly successful in F1, Zanardi won the 1997 and 1998 IndyCar championships with Chip Ganassi Racing. Sadly, he lost both of his legs in a terrifying Indy car crash in Germany in 2001.

Trending

908 readers Last 30 min

“Need Him Out of Ferrari”: Carlos Sainz’s Shameless Antics After Charles Leclerc’s Honorable Gesture Infuriates Fans

September 24, 2023 05:35 pm EDT

Where Is Kelly Piquet? Why Was Max Verstappen’s GF a No Show at Suzuka?

September 24, 2023 05:11 pm EDT

Lando Norris & Co. Cash In on Misery as Fernando Alonso Tipped to Sink With Bleeding Aston Martin

September 25, 2023 08:00 pm EDT

Toto Wolff’s Disregard of Lewis Hamilton’s 2021 Wish Backfires as George Russell ‘Disaster’ Tipped to Explode by Ex-Ferrari Boss

September 25, 2023 01:45 pm EDT

Who Is Rebecca Donaldson, the New Woman in Carlos Sainz’s Life Post Unexpected Breakup Up With Long Time GF Isa Hernaez?

August 09, 2023 05:00 pm EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest F1 stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

Recently, the rehab clinic’s priest, Father Luca Poli, spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport about the Paralympic champion. He said, “Alex Zanardi is only sometimes conscious, and he gets tired quickly. Sometimes he’s awake, sometimes not.

“After the transfer from Siena to here, he was very tired and I could only see him briefly. I also couldn’t take his hand because we have to keep our distance from the patients in these times.

“Worryingly, Valduce Hospital health director Claudio Zanado revealed that senior medical made a joint decision. When they consulted with head of the Department of Specialist Rehabilitation Villa Beretta, Dr. Franco Molteni, they elected to transfer him.”

Zanado wrote in a letter, “Adequate means and adequate assistance were used at the Intensive Care Department of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan. As of now, it is specified that no further information on the case will be released.”

SOURCE- Autoweek.com