Martin Brundle delivers touching tribute to 'most extraordinary individual'

Former F1 driver Martin Brundle has paid tribute to Alex Zanardi following the sad news of his death at the age of 59. 

The duo shared the F1 grid together in the early 1990s, several years before the Italian suffered a life-altering crash in Germany in 2001.

Despite his significant injuries, Zanardi continued to race, both in cars and in hand cycling events, winning gold medals at the Paralympics.

Sadly, Zanardi passed away on May 1 in Italy, with F1 offering various homages to him during the Miami Grand Prix weekend.

Issuing his own thoughts on the tragic news, Brundle commended Zanardi for his “relentless” attitude to overcoming adversity.

“He was the most wonderful character and the most extraordinary individual,” Brundle told Sky F1.

“The accident he had in 2001, where he lost his legs and pretty much all of his blood, people did not expect him to survive. 

“I remember we were at Monza, we actually heard that he hadn't made it - but he did make it.

“Within a couple of years, he was in touring car racing, European and World Championships.

“And then he got into hand cycling, winning gold medals in Rio de Janeiro at the British Olympics in London in 2012.

“He just had a relentless competitive nature against all odds.

“Tragically, he had another accident when he was in a charity race on his hand bike with a truck on the road. 

“We haven't heard too much about him in more recent years, and of course, no news was bad news in that respect. 

“But what an incredible character and an inspiration for everybody.”