When people remember the horrific accident suffered by Alex Zanardi in 2001, they probably think of it as fate. The American Memorial 500 at EuroSpeedway Lausitz took place only 4 days after the September 11, 2001 attacks, being the first major motor racing event after the terrorist act. It wasn't supposed to be run in the first place, but the Champ Car organizers decided to hold the event anyway as a tribute to the American people.
Zanardi had every reason to be happy in the late stages of the race, as he was running in a solid 1st place with only one pit stop to go. He went in for refuel and a new set of tires and then returned to the track eager to end it in style. However, when making his pit exit, he failed to wait until his tires were up to temperature and accelerated abruptly, colliding in the process with Canadian Alex Tagliani's car.
The T-bone collision had severe consequences for Zanardi. Apart from nearly losing his life, the Italian race driver had both his legs amputated above the knees. As impossible as it may seem, only 2 years after this accident, Zanardi was not only able to drive again, but also race on a competitive level.
He started his recuperation in late 2001 and, during the course of next year, manufactured his own bespoke legs. After months and months of training, he was able to enter a race car cockpit once again, while benefiting from hand-operated brake and accelerator controls. In 2003, he contested in 13 laps at the Lausitzring, the very same track where he suffered the accident 2 years before. His strong run that evening made him realize he still has a chance in motor racing, and that's where he started making his return. The years to follow would see him do Formula One tests and become a regular podium finisher in the FIA World Touring Car Championship. He is yet to retire from the sport.
It was in 1979 that Niki Lauda first believed he had enough with Formula One racing. Or, as he eloquently put it during a meeting with Brabham owner Bernie Ecclestone, had no plans to continue “driving around in circles.” Therefore, after enduring two unsuccessful years at the Milton Keynes based team – well, think about it, he did earn some $1 million per season – he decided to retire and spend the rest of his life focusing on running his money-making airline company in Austria, Lauda Air.
Needless to say, some 3 years later, Lauda changed his mind. The reason was quite simple, as he admits it even today: he needed to win so he could get paid large sums of money. Financial difficulties with his business forced him to make the only logical decision of all, meaning returning to the thing he could to the best, win.
At only 31-years of age, he conducted a test for McLaren and convinced the team's sponsor Marlboro that he still has it in him to win F1 races. What happened next is history. Lauda won his first race only 3 starts after his official comeback, at Long Beach Grand Prix, and conquered his 3rd and last world championship title some two years later.
Luckily enough, the medical staff at Michigan International Speedway managed to get him out of the car in due time and fly him over to the nearest hospital. The doctors didn't give him much chances to surviving the night, as he came in with critical brain and lung injuries. He did manage to stay alive, however, and took about 3 weeks to recover to a “stable” condition.
Only one year later, after undergoing some intense recovery programmes, he made his comeback into the NASCAR series. First in the Truck Series, followed by a Winston Cup start, he quickly re-established himself as a front-runner in the North American championship.
He never got to win the Winston title but, as a paradox, won his last Winston Cup race in career at the same track that nearly claimed his life back in 1994, the MIS. At the end of 1997, he decided to hang his racing gloves and retire from professional motor sport.
After a considerable amount of time in which he was unable to get behind the wheel of a race car – mainly due to the military operations of World War II – legendary German racer Rudolf Caracciola finally made his comeback in 1952.
Thirteen years after his last race – in 1939 – Caracciola stepped at the wheel of the new Mercedes-Benz 300SL in sports car races. Only 6 years before, he had suffered a severe accident while attending the famous Indianapolis 500 race in the US, as he was hit in the head by an object during the practice session. He had then crashed his car into the wall at high speed and spent the next few days in a coma in a US hospital.
After a long recuperation period, the German driver managed to return to racing in 1952, in the famous Mille Migla. He ended the race in 4th place, but guess what? Afterwards, it was confirmed by Mercedes that Caracciola was handed a car with an inferior engine to his rivals, as the German car maker was trying to prevent a potential accident from the returnee.
Weeks later, during the 1952 Swiss GP, Caracciola's Mercedes betrayed him once again and slid into the trees, causing extensive damage to his left foot and causing his definitive retirement from the sport. His performance in the Mille Miglia, however, remains historical.
Therefore, after more than a decade outside the motorcycling world, Hailwood was to return in arguably the toughest race of them all. And not only he managed to bring his Ducati 900SS to the chequered flag, but he also won the event. His out-of-this-world performance is part of the motorcycle racing history books, especially since it was followed by another TT win the very next year. This latter success was the perfect time for him to announce his complete retirement from motor racing.
He was quickly extracted from his car by the circuit's safety crew and taken immediately to the hospital. The doctor's verdict was terrifying: he needed immediate surgery to remove a subdural hematoma. The medical intervention went well enough, and Da Matta was consequently placed in an induced coma. His condition improved by the week and, after one and a half months of medical care, he was finally able to leave hospital.
Less than 2 years later, in March 2008, he climbed behind the wheel of a Riley Daytona Prototype prepared by a Rolex Sports Car Series team. After conducting a successful 2-day test, Da Matta was confirmed as starter, alongside former Champ Car ace Jimmy Vasser, in the Rolex Series racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. He went on to finish 32nd overall.
Unfortunately for him, he decided to make a comeback into the series some 4 years later, after managing to secure the proper financing for a part-time programme in the 1994 championship. During his very first practice session of the Daytona 500 race, one of his front tires burst and sent his car straight into the wall, at full speed. Although being immediately transported to the hospital, he lost his life at impact.
Some 3 years later, however, after failing to secure a drive with Williams F1, Hakkinen returned to motor racing at the wheel of a AMG Mercedes C-Klasse 05 in the German DTM Series. His comeback did not lack success, as the Finn managed to win a race in his very debut DTM season, at Spa. He was to announce his complete retirement from the sport at the end of 2007.
After failing to beat Fernando Alonso for a championship title in 2006, Michael Schumacher decided to finally bring an end to his Formula One career. After winning 7 titles in the Great Circle, the German decided to continue his motor racing career only as advisor for the prancing horse's grand prix programme.
However, an unfortunate accident sustained by Felipe Massa during the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix left Ferrari with an open seat for the remaining 7 rounds of the season. Although he is still to make that return (when this article is being published) the simple fact that he decided to come back to F1 racing after some 2 and a half years of absence was considered a huge gain for Ecclestone's series. Only days after the official announcement was made by Ferrari, ticket sales suffered a boost for both the Valencia race – his first F1 start since the retirement – and Spa.
It was confirmed, soon after the accident, that Brack had survived the highest recorded G-forces since the introduction of crash violence recording systems, meaning 214 Gs. He spent the next 18 months recuperating from multiple fractures (including breaking his sternum, femur, shattering a vertebra in his spine and crushing his ankles), before making his IRL comeback in 2005.
He entered the Indianapolis 500 race in 2005 with the best qualifying time from the entire IRL pack, but had to retire due to mechanical problems. One year later, he decided to bring a definitive end to his racing career.
Zanardi had every reason to be happy in the late stages of the race, as he was running in a solid 1st place with only one pit stop to go. He went in for refuel and a new set of tires and then returned to the track eager to end it in style. However, when making his pit exit, he failed to wait until his tires were up to temperature and accelerated abruptly, colliding in the process with Canadian Alex Tagliani's car.
The T-bone collision had severe consequences for Zanardi. Apart from nearly losing his life, the Italian race driver had both his legs amputated above the knees. As impossible as it may seem, only 2 years after this accident, Zanardi was not only able to drive again, but also race on a competitive level.
He started his recuperation in late 2001 and, during the course of next year, manufactured his own bespoke legs. After months and months of training, he was able to enter a race car cockpit once again, while benefiting from hand-operated brake and accelerator controls. In 2003, he contested in 13 laps at the Lausitzring, the very same track where he suffered the accident 2 years before. His strong run that evening made him realize he still has a chance in motor racing, and that's where he started making his return. The years to follow would see him do Formula One tests and become a regular podium finisher in the FIA World Touring Car Championship. He is yet to retire from the sport.
Niki Lauda
Needless to say, some 3 years later, Lauda changed his mind. The reason was quite simple, as he admits it even today: he needed to win so he could get paid large sums of money. Financial difficulties with his business forced him to make the only logical decision of all, meaning returning to the thing he could to the best, win.
At only 31-years of age, he conducted a test for McLaren and convinced the team's sponsor Marlboro that he still has it in him to win F1 races. What happened next is history. Lauda won his first race only 3 starts after his official comeback, at Long Beach Grand Prix, and conquered his 3rd and last world championship title some two years later.
Ernie Irvan
Irvan was very close to securing his first ever Winston Cup title in career back in 1994, when disaster stroke 11 races from the finale. It was in the GM Goodwrench Dealer 400 at Michigan that it all happened, as a deflated front tire sent his car right into the wall at over 170 mph. It happened during the Winston Cup event's practice session.Luckily enough, the medical staff at Michigan International Speedway managed to get him out of the car in due time and fly him over to the nearest hospital. The doctors didn't give him much chances to surviving the night, as he came in with critical brain and lung injuries. He did manage to stay alive, however, and took about 3 weeks to recover to a “stable” condition.
Only one year later, after undergoing some intense recovery programmes, he made his comeback into the NASCAR series. First in the Truck Series, followed by a Winston Cup start, he quickly re-established himself as a front-runner in the North American championship.
He never got to win the Winston title but, as a paradox, won his last Winston Cup race in career at the same track that nearly claimed his life back in 1994, the MIS. At the end of 1997, he decided to hang his racing gloves and retire from professional motor sport.
Rudolf Caracciola
Thirteen years after his last race – in 1939 – Caracciola stepped at the wheel of the new Mercedes-Benz 300SL in sports car races. Only 6 years before, he had suffered a severe accident while attending the famous Indianapolis 500 race in the US, as he was hit in the head by an object during the practice session. He had then crashed his car into the wall at high speed and spent the next few days in a coma in a US hospital.
After a long recuperation period, the German driver managed to return to racing in 1952, in the famous Mille Migla. He ended the race in 4th place, but guess what? Afterwards, it was confirmed by Mercedes that Caracciola was handed a car with an inferior engine to his rivals, as the German car maker was trying to prevent a potential accident from the returnee.
Weeks later, during the 1952 Swiss GP, Caracciola's Mercedes betrayed him once again and slid into the trees, causing extensive damage to his left foot and causing his definitive retirement from the sport. His performance in the Mille Miglia, however, remains historical.
Mike Hailwood
At 38 years of age, surely the world thought of Mike Hailwood as a man who had lost common sense when signing the entry list of the famous Isle of Man TT. Although he had won no less than 9 world championship titles in the Grand Prix motorcycle series during the previous decade, it was 11 years since Hailwood had initially decided to withdraw from the sport.Therefore, after more than a decade outside the motorcycling world, Hailwood was to return in arguably the toughest race of them all. And not only he managed to bring his Ducati 900SS to the chequered flag, but he also won the event. His out-of-this-world performance is part of the motorcycle racing history books, especially since it was followed by another TT win the very next year. This latter success was the perfect time for him to announce his complete retirement from motor racing.
Cristiano da Matta
In early August 2006, the Brazilian driver was very close to saying good-bye to his racing career for good. Actually, he was even closer to losing his life, after hitting a deer during the Champ Car open testing at Road America. During one of his quick laps, a deer appeared in front of him and collided with the car, consequently hitting Da Matta's cockpit.He was quickly extracted from his car by the circuit's safety crew and taken immediately to the hospital. The doctor's verdict was terrifying: he needed immediate surgery to remove a subdural hematoma. The medical intervention went well enough, and Da Matta was consequently placed in an induced coma. His condition improved by the week and, after one and a half months of medical care, he was finally able to leave hospital.
Less than 2 years later, in March 2008, he climbed behind the wheel of a Riley Daytona Prototype prepared by a Rolex Sports Car Series team. After conducting a successful 2-day test, Da Matta was confirmed as starter, alongside former Champ Car ace Jimmy Vasser, in the Rolex Series racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. He went on to finish 32nd overall.
Neil Bonnett
At 44 years of age, Neil was on the verge of losing his life during the TranSouth 500 Winston Cup race at Darlington, South Carolina. His car then hit the water barrels in front of pit road drivers-side first and led to Bonnett being transported to the hospital during the course of the afternoon. Although making a quick recovery, he was left with amnesia after the incident and, in order not to make things worst, decided to quit the sport.Unfortunately for him, he decided to make a comeback into the series some 4 years later, after managing to secure the proper financing for a part-time programme in the 1994 championship. During his very first practice session of the Daytona 500 race, one of his front tires burst and sent his car straight into the wall, at full speed. Although being immediately transported to the hospital, he lost his life at impact.
Mika Hakkinen
After a crash during the 2001 Formula One championship – during the very season opener in Australia – Hakkinen's motivation slowly started to disappear. At the end of a rather difficult season, the 2-time world champion decided to leave the sport for one year. However, in mid-2002, he decided he would never race in Formula One again.Some 3 years later, however, after failing to secure a drive with Williams F1, Hakkinen returned to motor racing at the wheel of a AMG Mercedes C-Klasse 05 in the German DTM Series. His comeback did not lack success, as the Finn managed to win a race in his very debut DTM season, at Spa. He was to announce his complete retirement from the sport at the end of 2007.
Michael Schumacher
However, an unfortunate accident sustained by Felipe Massa during the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix left Ferrari with an open seat for the remaining 7 rounds of the season. Although he is still to make that return (when this article is being published) the simple fact that he decided to come back to F1 racing after some 2 and a half years of absence was considered a huge gain for Ecclestone's series. Only days after the official announcement was made by Ferrari, ticket sales suffered a boost for both the Valencia race – his first F1 start since the retirement – and Spa.
Kenny Brack
Much like the majority of the racers included in this top, Kenny Brack also returned to the wheel of an open-wheel racing car after previously surviving a severe crash. When in the last race of the 2003 IRL season at Texas Motor Speedway, his car locked wheels with the one driven by Tomas Scheckter and was projected into the catch fencing.It was confirmed, soon after the accident, that Brack had survived the highest recorded G-forces since the introduction of crash violence recording systems, meaning 214 Gs. He spent the next 18 months recuperating from multiple fractures (including breaking his sternum, femur, shattering a vertebra in his spine and crushing his ankles), before making his IRL comeback in 2005.
He entered the Indianapolis 500 race in 2005 with the best qualifying time from the entire IRL pack, but had to retire due to mechanical problems. One year later, he decided to bring a definitive end to his racing career.
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