Zanardi wins Touring Car race in Istanbul
Alex Zanardi won his first race this year in the 15th round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship held in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday. Nothing special for a former F1 driver? It is when you remember that he lost both his legs in a Champ Car crash in Germany in 2001.
Zanardi pilots his BMW 320si using special hand controls, and managed to overcome the additional challenge to claim the checkered flag at Istanbul this weekend. This marks the second race the 39-year-old Italian has won since the accident, having taken the honors at Oschersleben last year.
"I'm really happy about my second win in the World Touring Car Championship," Zanardi exclaimed after the race. "My first win in Oschersleben was unbeatable in terms of emotions. However, my situation has not changed dramatically since then, as my legs have not grown back again."
[Source: Motorsport.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rich 8:00PM (9/25/2006)
Here's to you, Mr. Zanardi, an inspiration for courage on the shittiest day I've ever had.
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TSW 7:03PM (9/25/2006)
must not have had a le mans start... :)
good for him.
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BP 7:27PM (9/25/2006)
Congrats to him on his win. It's good to see him competing and also good to see he has a sense of humor.
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gkz 7:28PM (9/25/2006)
that's pretty amazing
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David 7:53PM (9/25/2006)
Let's see some pics of the controls
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AutoFan 9:47PM (9/25/2006)
"However, my situation has not changed dramatically since then, as my legs have not grown back again."
LOL
What a great guy.
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Rock 10:32PM (9/25/2006)
You go Alex!
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Paul 11:17PM (9/25/2006)
Excelent Job Alex! I can't wait till you Get that test in the BMW F1 car at the end of the year. You are my favorite driver of all time.
Well Done!
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Nick R 11:38PM (9/25/2006)
Must be pretty embarassing to lose a race to a guy with no legs. Amazing.
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gkz 12:16AM (9/26/2006)
"9. Must be pretty embarassing to lose a race to a guy with no legs. Amazing."
i'm pretty sure i wrote a sarcastic dickhead msg to you at another post...
after this... i like the sense of humor... party on wayne!
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autobots 4:37AM (9/26/2006)
Can't say anymore of Alex! I remember his first year in IndyCar and how he dominated and almost took the championship from Jimmy...even though he didn't race the whole season. My first attendance to a race was Laguna Seca and it happened to be the race which Alex passed Bryan Herta on the last lap to win that race, it was later dubbed as "The Pass". That was freaking amazing! The guy is so nice too. I got to meet him and signed my 1/18 die cast of his 98 championship car. What a showmanship he was...I mean he started the whole donut and now everyone copies him. Even the freaking NeckCar guys do it! He is definitely one in a million and the racing world needs someone like Alex. Here to you Alex! Cheer!
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tenaciousJk 5:19PM (9/26/2006)
Alex Zanardi is my all-time favorite driver. I know it's because he was doing really well the Indy/CART series when I took interest in racing, but his story since then has sealed the deal.
My first race was at Belle Isle in Detroit. I somehow ended up in a restricted Ford area for VIPs and who comes racing down an overpass stairway just minutes before the race? why, it's Alex :)
We pass, he smiles and says a quick hello to my Girlfriend an I, and is zipped away (presumably to his car) on the back of a golf cart.
That made my day. Good luck to you Alex.
PS. I also saw Tom Sellick in the pits that day, but was only impressed by how much hair he seemed to have on TV compared to in person. He must use a lot of that ronco spray-on hair :)
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