AN eyewitness has spoken of the horror of the 200mph smash which cost racing driver Alex Zanardi his legs.

Steve Hobday, 36, of Haslingden, was in Germany at Lausitzring on Saturday to give a demonstration for his own racing team SPH Motorsport, who he drives for in the British Legends Championship.

And Steve was anticipating one of the biggest thrills of his life when he tested his team's car in front of 120,000 people later in the day.

But this dream became a nightmare as watched the CART race -- the American equivalent of Formula One -- unfold from the pits -- just 100 feet from the horrific smash.

Zanardi, a former Formula One driver for Williams, Jordan, Minardi and Lotus, came into the pits in the lead with 15 laps to go.

As he left the pit area he spun on grass and into the path of Canadian Alex Tagliani, who was travelling at around 200mph.

The front end of Zanardi's car virtually disintegrated with the impact and both cars smashed into a wall.

Steve who runs Steve Hobday Carpenters and Joiners in Haslingden, said: "It's something nobody there will ever forget. It was a sickening noise when the car hit Zanardi's car where his legs were and ripped the front of the car off.

"We were just stood there with the mechanics. Because he had lost the front of his car, Zanardi looked like he had lost his legs then.

"We thought he was dead.

"Later they brought the cars back in and it looked like someone had opened it with a can opener."

Zanardi is still described as 'extremely critical' and he has had both legs amputated above the knee in a five-hour operation. Tagliani suffered back injuries.

To compound Steve's woe, a transportation mix up meant he never got to test his team's cars.