Alex Zanardi remains in a serious condition after being transferred to the intensive care unit at the Santa Maria alle Scotte hospital near Siena yesterday.
The 53-year-old suffered head and facial injuries when he was involved in a collision with a truck during the Obiettivo Tricolore handbike event.A statement issued by the hospital at 10am CET today described Zanardi’s treatment yesterday evening as a “delicate neurosurgical intervention”. He has “stable haemodynamic and metabolic parameters” following his relocation to the ICU.
“He is intubated and supported by artificial ventilation while the neurological picture remains serious,” the statement added.
Many motorsport figures have expressed support for the two-times CART IndyCar champion and ex-F1 racer, whose achievements after losing his legs in a 2001 crash at the Lausitzring made him an inspirational figure. He returned to motor racing in touring cars and GT racing, and won four gold medals in thew 2012 and 2016 Paralympics.
“Please pray for my friend Alex Zanardi”, wrote Chip Ganassi, whose team Zanardi won both his CART titles with in 1997 and 1998.
“My thoughts are with Alex Zanardi tonight,” said Zanardi’s former IndyCar rival Dario Franchitti. “He has defied the odds his whole life, always done the seemingly impossible.
“When we raced against each other I realised there was never a point in any race that in his mind he was beaten. I’m praying for another Zanardi miracle.”
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bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
20th June 2020, 9:55
Hoping everything for Alex, a prize human being, we’re all rooting for you.
falken (@falken)
20th June 2020, 10:20
Remember how F1 used to allow trucks and diggers on the live circuit until someone died?
What will it take to change cycling racing to use proper closed courses?
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
20th June 2020, 10:37
@falken for some sports a 140m $ annual budget is not downsizing
BasCB (@bascb)
20th June 2020, 10:49
indeed, another avoidable accident with severe injury as a result @falken. Let us hope Zanardi pulls through.
F1oSaurus (@)
20th June 2020, 11:58
@falken They still do that.
It’s wasn’t “live” though, it was under double waved yellow (ie telling the drivers to slow down and be prepared to come to a full stop).
DAllein (@)
20th June 2020, 11:40
Alex,
we’ll see you racing in Monza this autumn!
Fight!
kpcart
20th June 2020, 12:11
Wrong analogy, and at the wrong moment. Also with Bianchi it was a driver not following the rules which was the main cause of accident (and yes I realize many drivers push the rules even in double yellow flags, but it is on them at that point) . By the way cycling does have velodromes. I hope Zanardi doesn’t have brain damage, the facial scars will heal. Some people are just prone to bad luck. Kubica is another one, I pray he won’t have a 4th serious life threatening accident, he had a terrible car accident as a passenger, a terrible f1 accident and a terrible rally accident.
kpcart
20th June 2020, 14:33
That was to @falken message above
Don
20th June 2020, 12:41
Forza Alex. A true motorsport hero.
MEGATRON M12 (@megatron)
20th June 2020, 14:46
Not just, he is a real life super hero!
StephenH
20th June 2020, 12:41
Keep fighting Alex.
Your life matters.
Robbie (@robbie)
20th June 2020, 13:08
Come on Alex, you’ve got this!
Candy Allard
20th June 2020, 13:46
You got this. Never give up. Praying for you.
Your #1 fan.
Candy
A M (@amam)
20th June 2020, 20:39
Wishing Alex all the best