- Former Formula One driver and Paralympic gold medalist Alex Zanardi died on Friday at the age of 59.
- Zanardi competed in F1 for five seasons, with a best finish of sixth in 1993, before a severe crash in 2001 resulted in the amputation of both his legs.
- Despite the life-altering accident, he became a celebrated para-cyclist, securing two gold medals at the 2012 London Paralympics and two more at the 2016 Rio Games, in addition to multiple world championships.
- Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton paid tribute to Zanardi, describing him as a "remarkable" and "lovely guy" whose resilience and positive attitude made him an inspiration to many.
- Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle, who raced against Zanardi, also lauded him as a "wonderful character" and an "extraordinary individual" who defied expectations after his 2001 accident and continued to show relentless competitive spirit.
IN FULL
Lewis Hamilton pays warm tribute to ‘remarkable inspiration’ Alex Zanardi
