“Disability is all relative”: Impressive documentary about Alessandro Zanardi’s “Road to Daytona”.

Munich. BMW brand ambassador Alessandro Zanardi (ITA) has now started the process of rehabilitation after his serious handbike accident in June 2020. He has been constantly in the thoughts of the BMW family since that accident and countless fans around the world have been sending him their best wishes. Thanks to his fighting spirit and his impressive personality, Zanardi has become an idol for many. Some insights into this personality are also provided by a 50-minute documentary that was filmed over several months in 2018 and 2019 as Zanardi prepared for the Rolex 24 at Daytona (USA) in the BMW M8 GTE: “Alex Zanardi – Disability is all relative”. This documentary will be broadcast on Sunday (2^nd May) on the German TV channel Sky Sport F1.

Zanardi has now begun a programme of rehabilitation after his accident and is in very good hands. It is a very lengthy healing process, in which there are rays of hope, but unfortunately there are also repeated complications. His family have granted their permission for the documentary to be shown. Zanardi himself viewed it before his accident and was thrilled with the emotional and impressive way in which his “Road to Daytona” is represented in this film.

The title of the documentary reflects Zanardi’s attitude to life: “Disability is all relative”. In his opening quote, he says: “We all have to deal with restrictions in a certain way. It is all relative. Life is a journey and we have to accept our limits. No person can fly like a bird, so you try to deal with the problem if you cannot overcome it.” Viewers then get to see exclusive insights into the collaboration between Zanardi and BMW Motorsport, including some unique scenes from the races at Misano (ITA) and Daytona that will send shivers down the spine. 

Zanardi’s appearance in the BMW M8 GTE for the BMW Team RLL at the “24 Hours of Daytona” in January 2019 was one of countless highlights in a long history of collaboration between Zanardi and BMW Motorsport that stretches back to 2003 and which has witnessed him repeatedly dealing with restrictions. The Daytona project kicked off in the spring of 2018. This time, the greatest challenge was adjusting the BMW M8 GTE to meet Zanardi’s requirements as he needed to be able to compete in an endurance race without his prostheses: Zanardi accelerated, braked, steered and changed gear using just his hands. The Rückenwind Film crew accompanied him all the way through the process – from initial preparations in Munich (GER) to the finish of the 24-hour race. They were with Zanardi on his “Road to Daytona” for eight months.

The 50-minute documentary “Alex Zanardi – Disability is all relative” will be broadcast this Sunday, 2^nd May, at 19:30 CEST on German Sky Sport F1. The documentary is also available on Amazon (in Germany, UK and USA).