DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Latest on the Rolex 24 at Daytona (all times local):
4 p.m.:
Alex Zanardi’s first stint in the Rolex 24 at Daytona had a brief hiccup when his steering wheel didn’t lock into place when he got into the BMW.
Zanardi is racing for the first time without his prosthetics and for the first time in North America since the 2001 crash that severed both his legs. BMW designed a steering wheel that allows him to do everything with his hands, and the wheel is specific for the Italian.
When he climbed in for the driver change roughly 90 minutes into the race, the wheel didn’t snap into place and Zanardi frantically waved for assistance. A crewmember leaned into the cockpit, removed the wheel and placed a second one in the car.
The second wheel also needed a strong push to get into place and Zanardi was finally able to race. BMW has him second in its rotation of four drivers.
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2 p.m.:
The Rolex 24 at Daytona has started with a heavyweight lineup that includes beloved champion Alex Zanardi in a field full of superstars.
The two-time CART champion and former Formula One driver is racing in North America for the first time since both legs were severed in a 2001 crash in Germany. BMW designed a steering wheel that allows Zanardi to race without his prosthetics using levers to brake, accelerate, shift and adjust the fuel parameters in the engine.
The Bobby Rahal-owned team didn’t reveal its driver rotation before the start of Saturday’s race but Zanardi was expected to get in the car at the first driver change. The team has choreographed the stops to roughly 15 seconds and that includes swapping the steering wheel for his teammates.
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