Lewis Hamilton has expressed how devastated he was after he was informed he hit and killed a groundhog that damaged his Ferrari during the the Formula1 Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday, Afrosport reports.
The seven-time claimed he did not see the groundhog and was of the opinion the incident impacted his race as he finished sixth having started fifth.
Hamilton is a known lover of animals and has a poplar French bulldog named Roscoe.
“It was feeling pretty decent up until then,” he said. “I got a good start, I held position and I was holding onto the leading group.
“I was managing the tyres well, so I was feeling optimistic.
“I didn’t see it happen, but I heard I hit a groundhog. That’s devastating because I love animals and I’m so sad about it. It’s horrible.
“That’s never happened to me before here, but the floor – basically the right-side – there was a hole in it.
“Given that, and we had a brake issue halfway through as well, and then we probably stayed out too long in the first stop and came out behind traffic… it went from one thing to another.”
Round 10 completed
pic.twitter.com/putSYc5mIE
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) June 16, 2025
Hamilton is still searching for his first podium finish for Ferrari and will have another crack at next weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix.
