He first got into a kart because his parents—who had tragically lost a daughter in a road accident—considered a moped “too dangerous.” He experienced it alongside his father, a plumber, who worked as his mechanic, eventually reaching the top of the world scene in the mid-1980s, when—paradoxically—the link between driving talent and Formula 1 machinery was more genuine than it is today.

Supported in his early years by those who believed in him, he stepped away from racing after running out of money, only to establish himself across the ocean, where he found the glory that Formula 1 had somehow denied him. After a tragic accident, he was able to rise again, becoming an icon for millions of people around the world who have drawn inspiration from his story—a story that begins on a tiny go-kart track near Bologna and reaches the Olympic medal table. Larger than life, indeed.

 

We remember him by republishing an article that appeared in Vroom Kart Magazine in October 2016, when Zanardi Kart was at the peak of a period that saw Zanardi-branded chassis at the top of FIA karting standings, in a karting world very different from the one Alex had left in the late 1980s, yet one he managed to conquer together with his lifelong friend Dino Chiesa.

 

“Otello used to go to the conservatory, his mother had a real passion for music. He used to say he had a concert and instead he used to go to watch car racing” they tols us at Chiesa Corse “business was really going well in 2004 when we made the agreement with Alessandro Zanardi, who allowed us to make a kart bearing his name. It was an immediate success”. The relationship between the Chiesas and Zanardi goes back to the first race “away from home” (in Jesolo) a group of friends headed by Dino Zanardi: the group called themselves "Team Sfighé" (The Losers) because they had little experience in this field.

This small group went to the circuit with four karts taken on a trolley that had been made for transporting a rubber dinghy, and when the time came for the stamping the technical marshal asked them if he could also stamp the spare engine. There wasn’t one: they didn’t even know that they could have taken a second engine...
“Heey know something, sometimes it can be useful..!” voice of Otello Chiesa completes the desolating scene that is there in front of the incredulous race commissioner.
A few hours later during the free practice Zanardi’s only engine seizes. Seeing him desolated, Mr Chiesa went to Alex and Dino and offered them his help “That lad is fast, it’s a shame not allowing him to race. Pleased to meet you, Otello. Otello Chiesa.” Over a glass or two of Pignoletto and the other, the engine came back to life and Alex wins his first national event. That same evening, Otello suggests a toast lifting his glass of wine from Emilia: “Zanardi, to your son who has won the race, to me for being so silly as to have helped him repair his engine, allowing him to beat my son Dino!” Yes him, Dino Chiesa. After a year or two the manager from Padova hung up his helmet to dedicate himself to an activity off the track.

 

December 1988.

Zanardi, now in F.3, went back to karting accepting Mantese’s offer to compete in the Hong Kong GP. Giancarlo Tinini contributed offering his chassis, which would have been powered by IAME. Young Dino Chiesa was learning from his more experienced colleagues in force with CRG, and on that occasion he offered some “manual help” to the mechanic that followed Zanardi: the same Giancarlo Tinini. The call from fate for Chiesa materialises with an unfortunate food poisoning for CRG patron, who remains in his hotel room, while the young engineer takes it upon himself to follow the “guest star” during the racing weekend. And it was an immediate success, first step towards a splendid future that was awaiting Dino. Therefore, obvious, for Alessandro Zanardi to become attached to the same brands and the same people who have supported him personally in his career.

“After Alex’ accident (in 2001 Indycar, ed.) there was fear within me as to what his reaction could be when he came to, so I immediately thought of creating something that would be able to have him in karting, which was however still something that he loved doing.” Said Giancarlo Tinini. “As soon as I was able to hug him I suggested creating a Zanardi Kart brand and after our agreement I asked Chiesa Corse if they could help follow that line, seeing that the site was in Padova and they could have kept close contact with him.”

 

From this love story concerning true friendship that grew under a technical tent, we have the birth of Zanardi chassis, chassis that have been brought to the track by Chiesa Corse (now KR) and have taken the likes of Nyck De Vries, Tom Joyner and others to success.