The 36-year-old Italian will drive a specially adapted BMW 320i in the final round of the European touring car championship at Monza on October 19. The car will be equipped with a hand-operated clutch and throttle mounted on the steering wheel.
"I set myself the goal of leading a normal life again at some time in the future," he told Autosport magazine. "Today I can walk, swim, go skiing and, on October 19, I will complete my vision by competing seriously in a race. If I manage to keep the pace at Monza, I shall have reaffirmed my faith in myself."
Zanardi made his formula one debut with Jordan in 1991, then signed for the now-defunct Lotus team in 1993, competing through to the following year's grand prix in Belgium, where he escaped a massive accident in practice which ruled him out for the balance of the season.
Afterwards he moved to the United States, where he twice won the Cart championship in 1997 and 1998 before being recruited to drive alongside Ralf Schumacher at Williams in 1999. His form was disappointing and he was dropped at the end of the year.
This year Zanardi made an emotional return to the Euro-speedway where, in a modified Reynard-Ford Cart car, he drove a symbolic 13 laps - the balance of the race distance he failed to complete in 2001 after he spun into the path of Alex Tagliani and was hit by his rival's car.
Britain's Ralph Firman tested for Jordan yesterday after missing two formula one races on medical grounds.
The rookie had to sit out the Hungarian and Italian grands prix after he crashed heavily in Saturday practice at the Hungaroring last month.
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/formulaone/story/0,10069,1044223,00.html
"I set myself the goal of leading a normal life again at some time in the future," he told Autosport magazine. "Today I can walk, swim, go skiing and, on October 19, I will complete my vision by competing seriously in a race. If I manage to keep the pace at Monza, I shall have reaffirmed my faith in myself."
Zanardi made his formula one debut with Jordan in 1991, then signed for the now-defunct Lotus team in 1993, competing through to the following year's grand prix in Belgium, where he escaped a massive accident in practice which ruled him out for the balance of the season.
Afterwards he moved to the United States, where he twice won the Cart championship in 1997 and 1998 before being recruited to drive alongside Ralf Schumacher at Williams in 1999. His form was disappointing and he was dropped at the end of the year.
This year Zanardi made an emotional return to the Euro-speedway where, in a modified Reynard-Ford Cart car, he drove a symbolic 13 laps - the balance of the race distance he failed to complete in 2001 after he spun into the path of Alex Tagliani and was hit by his rival's car.
Britain's Ralph Firman tested for Jordan yesterday after missing two formula one races on medical grounds.
The rookie had to sit out the Hungarian and Italian grands prix after he crashed heavily in Saturday practice at the Hungaroring last month.
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/formulaone/story/0,10069,1044223,00.html
