'A man who inspired millions in the face of unbelievable adversity'

'A man who inspired millions in the face of unbelievable adversity' Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Alex Zanardi raced for Jordan, Minardi and Lotus in F1 in the early 1990s before switching to the Cart championship in the United States, winning the series in 1997 and 1998, then returning to F1 for the 1999 season with WilliamsByAndrew BensonF1 CorrespondentPublished6 minutes agoAlex Zanardi, who has died aged 59, was a 21st century hero. A man who inspired millions through his unquenchable spirit in the face of unbelievable adversity. An icon of two different sports.The Italian died on Friday, just under six years after suffering serious head injuries in a road accident while racing his handbike, a device with which he became a four-time Paralympic gold medallist and 12-time world champion.That was a second chapter of sporting achievement, after a previous one in which he had considerable success as a racing driver, competing for several seasons in Formula 1, and becoming a two-time champion in American Indycar racing.The dividing line between those two parts of his life was a horrific accident at Germany's Lausitzring, in which Zanardi lost both his legs, most of his blood, and was saved from death only by rapid and decisive medical intervention.Zanardi was a man who experienced so much pain in his life, but whose outlook was always positive, no matter the difficulty he faced.He was also a charming, funny, warm, charismatic, genuine and eloquent man, universally popular. His ability to express the means by which he had overcome his personal challenges brought those struggles alive, put them in perspective, and gave hope to so many around the world.Ex-F1 driver and Paralympic champion Zanardi diesPublished3 hours agoZanardi wins gold at ParalympicsPublished5 September 2012Zanardi shows 'significant improvement'Published19 August 2020What pulled Zanardi through, and enabled him to go on to achieve at the elite sporting level again,...