After five seasons and four victories with BMW, Italian driver Alex Zanardi is retiring from the FIA World Touring Car Championship.
The probable streamlining of the German brand's team in WTCC (two cars only in 2010 compared to seven in 2009) prompted the 43 year-old to put an end to the adventure.
He's not abandoning motor sports altogether, however, and we'll still be seeing him in the Italian Championship.
After having clinched the International Formula 3000 title, Zanardi made his Formula 1 debut with Jordan in 1991. The Italian switched over to Minardi (92) and then Lotus in 1993 and 1994.
Then, after a brief stint in GT, he made his way stateside where he tried his luck in the Champ Car series in 1996. He won the title in 1997 and 1998.
He then made his F1 comeback with Williams in 1999, which turned into an utter disaster when he failed to score a single championship point.
After a yearlong sabbatical, he took up the reigns again in 2001, this time in the CART series. A horrific accident on the Lausitzring oval in Germany cost him both legs.
Despite this misfortune, Zanardi climbed back into a race car a few years later in WTCC wearing two prosthetic legs, driving a BMW specially modified for his handicap. He scored a historic victory at Oschersleben in 2005 and went on to cap the season with three more wins.
The highly popular Zanardi ran a few laps in a modified F1 BMW Sauber in 2006.
He also designed his own line of kart chassis and regularly takes part in handisport competitions, such as the New York marathon (4th in his class!). He now has his sights set on making the Italian team for the next Paralympic Games.
photo:WRI2 & alex-zanardi.com
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The probable streamlining of the German brand's team in WTCC (two cars only in 2010 compared to seven in 2009) prompted the 43 year-old to put an end to the adventure.
He's not abandoning motor sports altogether, however, and we'll still be seeing him in the Italian Championship.
After having clinched the International Formula 3000 title, Zanardi made his Formula 1 debut with Jordan in 1991. The Italian switched over to Minardi (92) and then Lotus in 1993 and 1994.
Then, after a brief stint in GT, he made his way stateside where he tried his luck in the Champ Car series in 1996. He won the title in 1997 and 1998.
He then made his F1 comeback with Williams in 1999, which turned into an utter disaster when he failed to score a single championship point.
After a yearlong sabbatical, he took up the reigns again in 2001, this time in the CART series. A horrific accident on the Lausitzring oval in Germany cost him both legs.
Despite this misfortune, Zanardi climbed back into a race car a few years later in WTCC wearing two prosthetic legs, driving a BMW specially modified for his handicap. He scored a historic victory at Oschersleben in 2005 and went on to cap the season with three more wins.
The highly popular Zanardi ran a few laps in a modified F1 BMW Sauber in 2006.
He also designed his own line of kart chassis and regularly takes part in handisport competitions, such as the New York marathon (4th in his class!). He now has his sights set on making the Italian team for the next Paralympic Games.
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photo:WRI2 & alex-zanardi.com