Alex Zanardi

I have a little bit of a big head.

I haven't done any of the things I have done to inspire others, but I am sure that if I am watching my story from the outside I would be joining the club saying, 'Wow, that guy really gets you going.'

I try to, pardon the expression, stay with my feet on the ground.

For me just the fact to be alive is sufficient motivation to want to improve my life quality.

Whether it is a small thing or big one, step-by-step you can make things happen.

When you find yourself in a certain situation you have to identify where you want to go and focus on what you can achieve on that given day.

I feel very lucky, I feel my life is a never-ending privilege.

My parents taught me that I could always improve on things.

It's not much different to Formula One where they are improving the cars constantly. The difference is every hand biker needs a different bike depending on their residual ability.

Having no legs doesn't mean you can't drive fast and I wasn't going to be happy scoring the odd point. I thought it was possible to win and went for it.

It may look weird to an outsider to watch me jump out of the car basically walking on my arms. Of course, it's very easy for me.

I'm a wild horse, to say the least, and with age, I haven't calmed down completely.

You have to accept the fact that as long as you are alive, you have something to lose. Living is dangerous.

I have always had a very smooth driving style. But when I started competing as a disabled driver, I had to take that even more to the extreme.

I'm no different from other drivers - my talent is in my brain, not in my right foot.

When I first climbed into a go-kart, aged 13, I thought to myself: 'This is what I want to do with my life, and I want to drive F1.'

Today, I don't have any psychological scars, because I am a realist and an optimist. After all, I can't lose my legs twice.

If I ever won the Indy 500, I can tell you that I wouldn't worry about my engine, that's for sure.

Everybody is calling me crazy because I want to do the Ironman. I'm not doing it to win it. I'm doing it to finish it. I'm racing myself, not a particular field or group of people.

There are times I'm approaching turns with my right hand on the brake lever, I'm downshifting with my fingers, I'm controlling the throttle with my left hand and steering into the corner with only one hand on the wheel. I feel a bit like Jimi Hendrix: I play with both my hands.