Grapevine: Zanardi to Make Racing Return

Alex Zanardi today confirmed that he is to return to competitive motorsport again in October - just two years after losing both legs in a horrific racing accident.

Italian Zanardi, who drove for Williams in Formula One and in the American CART series, had both legs amputated after a crash in a ChampCar race at the Lausitz EuroSpeedway in Germany in September 2001.

But Zanardi has battled against his disability and will return to action driving a specially adapted BMW in the final round of the European Touring Car Championship at Monza, Italy, on October 19.

"Two years ago, I escaped death by a whisker," said 36-year-old Zanardi. "Although the situation was really bad at the time, I set myself the goal of leading a normal life again at some time in the future. Today I can walk, I swim, I go skiing, and on 19 October I will complete my vision by competing seriously in a race.

"I believe that sometimes in life it's difficult to regain your courage after a stroke of bad luck. If I manage to keep pace in Monza in October, I shall have reaffirmed my faith in myself - where there's a will, there's a way."

Zanardi has been testing with the Ravaglia Motorsport team in a converted BMW at the team's test track in Italy, using hand controls to manipulate acceleration and the clutch. Although his adapted car weighs around 50kg more than his rivals, Zanardi has only been around half-a-second off the pace set by Ravaglia's regular drivers.

BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen added: "Alex has already won through as far as I'm concerned. It's an honour for us that Alex is able to make his dream come true. We are extremely happy to provide him with the support of all our expertise and engineering skills."