Alex Zanardi: Motivation and Inspiration for you...and your Business

Every once in a while, a game-changer personality comes along, injecting doses of Inspiration and Motivation…Alex Zanardi did it on the day of his car crash in 2001, and probably He did it again few days ago…We’re still feeling your energy Alex, never give up!! Go Alex! Go!

By Luca Cortelezzi

A Formula 1 driver, a two-time CART series winner, an innovator, an athlete, a gold-medal winner at the Paralympics, but above all, a man with a true champion’s attitude.

Alex Zanardi was born in the culture-rich city of Bologna, a genuine Italian guy dreaming of “racing for Ferrari”. He started his racing career with karts at age of 13, since then he was immediately noticed for his goal-achievement attitude. He became a professional driver in 1988 racing in the Formula 3 championship, and in 1991 he was called to race in the top class championship, Formula 1. In 1996 Alex Zanardi headed to the CART series in the United States, showing his real value with 2 consecutive titles. The life for Alex Zanardi was proceeding in a common way, passing through ups and downs, victories and defeats, that never changed his positive and focused attitude.

The day was 15 September…the year was 2001….4 days ahead the terrorist attack that shocked and messed up the worldwide equilibrium. Alex Zanardi was competing in the CART championship, and the race held in Lausitzring, Germany. It was the perfect race, Zanardi was leading with a handful of laps to go. He was called for the last pit stop, a very clean one…..

But, the life of Zanardi changed when he exited the pit lane after the stop, still in the lead with 13-laps to go, disaster came knocking. Whilst trying to join the racing-lane, Zanardi spun right upon the path of fellow racer Patrick Carpentier. Even though, Carpentier somehow managed to circumvent Zanardi, Alex Tagliani, who was right behind Carpentier and unsighted, could not avoid the incoming, and the out of control, Italian. At the time of the impact, Tagliani was travelling at a speed of more than 310 Kmph, and hence was unable to slide past Zanardi.

One of his leg was cut at the knee level, while the other just above it. He had lost nearly 75% of his blood and his heart stopped several times after the impact, but on time and accurate medical help had saved his life.

Someone believes that events like this one, ruins forever the life….I truly believe instead, that this car crash gave to Alex Zanardi’s life another meaning, enhancing the real identity of this great man…

That day, 15 September 2001, marked the beginning of a new Alex Zanardi, a beginning of a new man that couldn’t stop racing in his life…and couldn’t stop feeling the emotion of achieving results.

Contrary to popular belief, Zanardi hasn’t abandoned the car racing environment; Less than 20 months later of his car crash, Zanardi head back to Lausitzring circuit to complete the 13 laps that had changed his life, and for him it wasn’t a ceremony…He got back with the real intent to test the speed and his racing ability after the accident. He soon signed a contract with BMW to regularly race in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), commenting this decision using one of his popular quotes “You need to be curios to look to your horizons…only curiosity induce me to look forward and turn even my big obstacles into new opportunities”.

Well…if you think that the Zanardi’s story came to the end, you are wrong…Here begins the new story of him…

Zanardi was reaching mid-40s, and his competitive spirit was itching to find a new venture in life. “I am out to prove that there are no obstacles for the disabled”: he once famously replied, when he was asked about his motives. It was during a WTCC program that he accidently came across a paracycling event. A paracycle, or more commonly known as hand-cycles, has two fixed-rear wheels and one front wheel by which a person can steer the cycle. From there began his new chapter in life. His first race with a hand-cycle was in 2007 at the New York marathon. He finished an impressive fourth, but he modestly said later on: “there were only three elite-riders in race”. Zanardi’s sense of humour and self-criticism are constants in his life, and I consider them as strengths…

On 5 September 2012, Zanardi won a gold medal in the men's road time trial H4 at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. Two days later, he won the individual H4 road race. He was named of “The Man of the Year 2012”.

Zanardi completed the 2014 Ironman World Championship with a time of 9:47'14, ranking 272nd overall and 19th out of 247 in the 45–49-year category. He used a handbike for the cycling section and a wheelchair for the running section. Zanardi defined this event saying “This race is amazing….It’s devastating in some way…”

To complete the Ironman World Championship, Alex Zanardi revealed a trick used to be ready for a difficult race like this one. It is called the “5 second rule”…

When you think that you are done, that your body and your mind are not responding as they should do….and you have been through this so many times, and you know how important is to hang on a litter longer…5 seconds…this is an exercise that will not always grant your results, but this 5 seconds in which you shut your eyes and tell yourself “there’s something more I can give” …a times…they make ALL the difference…

Those special 5 seconds are everywhere….in your profession, with your love ones, in relation with people…..It is the same simple idea of giving something more, when you thing you’ve already given it all…..

When you finally surprise yourself, that the result you’d never thought you would get…..well then…It becomes addictive, and you start to look for those 5 seconds everywhere….

Alex Zanardi became an inspirational man not only for disable people, but for everyone…an incredible power source of optimism….the man that can truly induce you to think that nothing is impossible…

Few days ago, on the 19th of June 2020, during a road race for Paralympics athletes in Italy, Alex Zanardi was involved in another unlucky accident. He lost control of his handbike and veered into an oncoming truck. He was treated in intensive care for serious head injuries, and He is still in induced coma.

When I heard about this accident, immediately a thought bumped in my head…”if you did it once….Alex, you can do it twice, and again….and again…”

There’s one quote of Alex that truly impressed me, and I think that contains the secret of his power…..”I didn’t jump on my bicycle because I wanted to go to London and win…..I won because I wanted to ride my bicycle….”

Every once in a while, a game-changer personality comes along, injecting doses of Inspiration and Motivation…Alex Zanardi did it on the day of his car crash in 2001, and probably He did it again few days ago…We’re still feeling your energy Alex, never give up!! Go Alex! Go!