Alex Zanardi never lost the ability to drive a race car.

Zanardi, who lost both legs in a crash five years ago, completed his return to Formula One on Saturday by becoming the first double amputee to test drive an F1 car.

The 40-year-old Italian drove 14 laps in a modified BMW-Sauber C24-B car at the Cheste circuit.

``Alex felt comfortable from the word go, which has also been proved by his lap times,'' said BMW Motorsports director Mario Theissen, who was the first to embrace Zanardi after the historic spin. ``It's obvious that he is no Formula One newcomer. He has not forgot how to drive a race car like this at the limit.''

Zanardi lost his legs in a racing crash in September 2001 in the CART series, now known as the Champ Car World Series.

After being lifted out of the cockpit by two crew members, Zanardi could hardly contain his excitement.

``It's fantastic,'' he said. ``When I dropped my visor, the emotions were very heavy. It was pure pleasure being back in a fantastic race car.

``I do understand this is about much more than just driving a race car. To put a guy with no legs in an F1 car is something very special.''

Zanardi said it's a great story for handicapped people and ``those who stop moving when they face adversity.'' The former Williams, Minardi, Jordan and Lotus driver improved with each lap, dropping his time on the four-kilometre circuit from one minute, 27.20 seconds to 1:19.90.

``I saw the attitude in every team member change dramatically from when I came (on Thursday), when very politely their answers really meant `C'mon, you just have to do a few laps and do a show and then let's go home,''' Zanardi said.

``But right now, they are all active, all co-operative, all pumped up saying `What can we do to improve conditions,' and this is a great feeling to see that I have won their enthusiasm to try and do this in the best possible way.''

The BMW-Sauber test team used three prior meetings and four laps to find the right fit for Zanardi.

They reversed the pedals so he could use his stronger right limb to exert the necessary pressure on the brake. Zanardi dropped from a 9 to a 36 4.5 shoe size and cut an inch off his right prosthetic limb just to fit into the car.

The BMW-Sauber team remade his steering wheel, moving the throttle to the left side so he could use his right hand to handle turns.

Going into Sunday's final drive, the final adjustment would be to generate more temperature in the tires so they wouldn't lose grip in the turns, the one place on the track where Zanardi's handicap forces him to work hardest.

``I cannot let my desire push me into pushing too hard,'' he said. ``I can see speed in front of me but I cannot catch it right now. I'm not in a situation right now where I can regain control of the car if I would lose the car sideways like on a high speed turn like this.''

In 41 F1 races, Zanardi's best finish was sixth for Lotus at the Brazilian GP in 1993.

``I only see lows,'' said Zanardi, when asked to reflect on the highs of his F1 career. ``When I went back to Williams (in 1999), I had lost some of the will to succeed.

``Probably because I wanted to spend more time with my family after being worn out from the previous two years in CART. The confidence was lost and Williams did not help me ... but I could have changed and done something better and make a better choice.''

This one-off return to F1 was going to remain just that _ a one-off.

``That part of my career is behind me,'' he said. ``It's too much _ I don't have the energy. I could not be competitive: not because I don't have legs, but because I don't have the age.''

Despite his unspectacular F1 career, Zanardi holds the modern CART record for points in a season _ 285 in 1998. He also holds the CART record for most consecutive poles (six), front-row starts (11) and top-three finishes in a season (15).

Zanardi's CART career is remembered for how it ended. He lost control of his car as he left the pit lane at the American Memorial 500 in Klettwitz, Germany, and was hit by Canadian driver Alex Tagliani at about 320 km/h.

The impact cut Zinardi's car in half, put him into a one-week coma and cost him his legs.

``I'd be a fool to think about the accident out here _ it was bad luck,'' he said. ``If I lived with the fear of getting struck every time I raced, I wouldn't walk out of this garage.''

This same mental strength is what helped Zanardi put things right within himself before even considering a return to racing after the accident.

``Mentally I was the same driver as before, it was just to be seen technically whether I could connect my brain to the rest of the car.

``(Today) when I look in the mirror, I like what I see,'' he said.

For his wife Daniella, it was just another day at the track.

``Yeah, this is OK,'' she said. ``This is normal for me.''