Tagliani to race on this weekend

Zanardi lost both his legs in the crash, caused when the Italian spun on to the track as he came out of the pits with 12 laps remaining. Tagliani, who was travelling at about 190mph through Turn 1, could do nothing to avoid hitting the double CART champion's car.

The Canadian suffered muscle spasms and lower back soreness after last Saturday's incident, but says he is physically and mentally prepared to race in England. He has spent much of the week working with Team Player's physiotherapist Anthony Young, performing stretching exercises to loosen his back muscles.

"It might seem a bit strange to say it, but right now the spot where I feel most comfortable is behind the wheel of my Champ Car," said Tagliani. "From an early age, I've had a passion for racing, and now that driving a race car is my job, I still have that passion. When I drive on the Rockingham circuit, I am still going to be the same Alex Tagliani."

Tagliani has seen the crash several times on video, and knows there was little he could do to avoid it.

"I decided to go low as he went on track and - bang," he said. "The data shows that I turned really hard to the left and locked the brakes when I saw that I would not be able to do anything else. There was nothing I could do, he was just there in front but it is very upsetting.

"I don't think about the crash," he added. "I just think about Alex all the time. There is not five minutes in the day when I do not think about Alex. There is a weight in my heart that will only lift when I see him back in the paddock."

Tagliani visited Zanardi in hospital after being discharged himself on Sunday.