Alex Zanardi has been moved into intensive care after undergoing three-hour surgery on the head and face injuries he suffered in a crash during a handbike earlier today.
The two-times CART IndyCar champion an ex-Formula 1 driver is being treated at the Santa Maria alle Scotte hospital outside Siena. A statement issued by the hospital said Zanardi’s condition remained “very serious”.Zanardi is understood to have been involved in a collision with a truck during the Obiettivo Tricolore handbike event. He was airlifted to the hospital.
“Regarding the clinical conditions of Alex Zanardi, hospitalised in very serious conditions at the Santa Maria alle Scotte polyclinic due to a road accident in the province of Siena, the Health Directorate of the AOU [Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria] Senese informs that the neurosurgical and maxillofacial intervention to which the athlete was subjected, due to the severe head injury, started shortly after 19:00 and ended shortly before 22:00,” said the hospital in a statement.
“The patient was then transferred to intensive care, with a reserved prognosis. His health conditions are very serious.”
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Nitin Patel (@nitin24)
19th June 2020, 21:48
Tragic news…thoughts and prayers are with him and his family
BasCB (@bascb)
19th June 2020, 21:57
Stay tough Alex, you are a hero.
I really hope he pulls through.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
19th June 2020, 22:32
Keep fighting, hero… Thoughts are with you tonight…
swh1386 (@swh1386)
19th June 2020, 22:50
Sending big love to Alex tonight. Such a hero
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
19th June 2020, 22:56
Forza Zanardi ! You can do it this time too.
ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
19th June 2020, 23:53
My thoughts are with him, his friends, and his family. He is such a fighter, I hope things go his way.
Scottie (@scottie)
19th June 2020, 23:54
So they’re holding an event, where trucks are involved?!
Alex is a harder man than a lot of other men put together, and my thoughts are with him.
PaulT (@pault)
20th June 2020, 0:14
So they’re holding an event, where trucks are involved?!
Apparently lost control of his bike on a downhill section and veered into oncoming traffic.
Don
20th June 2020, 0:58
His wife was one of the first people on the scene. What a horrific situation! Why was traffic allowed on the roads during this race???
Good luck Alex! A true motorsport hero.
Roger
20th June 2020, 1:12
A true legend, inspiration and a thoroughly lovely guy. Best wishes to him.
Serkan (@serkank)
20th June 2020, 4:22
Oh gosh, awful news. You are a true inspiration, best of luck Alex!
Alex Roy
20th June 2020, 15:50
That’s terrible news. Pull through please Alex.