Thread: Alex Zanardi to Test a DP01 Champ Car

Alex Zanardi has accepted an invitation to test a DP01 Champ Car sometime in the coming months.

The test was offered to him by friend and former team mate Jimmy Vasser, co-owner of PKV Racing, in the hopes of luring back the 2-time Champ Car champion and former fan favourite.

For those of you who don't know Zanardi has become one of the more inspirational sports figures in recent years.

While fighting for the lead of a Champ Car race in Germany in 2001 Zanardi spun coming out of pit lane and was struck by Alex Tagliani, who was travelling well over 200mph. The front of Zanardi's car was sheered clean off, and his life was in serious danger. Zanardi did survive but lost both his legs, one above the knee, one below. He was told he would never walk again.

Dissatisfied with commercially available prosthetic legs Zanardi designed his own and was walking within weeks. By 2003 Zanardi was racing touring cars in his native Italy, using the stronger of his legs to operate the brake, and a hand control for the throttle. In 2004 Zanardi moved into the highly competitive European Touring Car Championship with BMW, which in 2005 became the World Touring Car Championship. On August 28 2005 Zanardi took the chequered flag at the Oscherleben in Germany, as well as dominating the 2005 Italian Touring Car Championship. Zanardi won again in 2006 at Istanbul Park in Turkey and remains a top driver in the WTCC. In November 2006 he tested a BMW Sauber F1 car with modified hand controls.