Lewis Hamilton is left 'devastated' after hitting a furry animal at 100mph in F1's Canadian Grand Prix
16 June 2025, 17:02 | Updated: 16 June 2025, 17:18
Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton was left 'devastated' after he struck an animal at high-speed in F1's Canadian Grand Prix.
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The Ferrari driver said the incident caused damage to his car in Montreal.
Hamilton started the race in fifth and looked to be on course for a positive 70 laps - before his Grand Prix was impacted in the initial stages.
Hamilton's Ferrari car ran over a groundhog, which is reportedly a regular occurrence at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Notre Dame Island in Montreal.
The incident resulted in a hole in the floor of his SF-25.
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Lewis Hamilton hit a groundhog earlier in the race, causing damage and a loss of downforce.
— Ferrari News 🐎 (@FanaticsFerrari) June 15, 2025
Talk about bad luck 😣
pic.twitter.com/EZDiyHY0pc
Hamilton was short of speed afterwards - losing roughly half a second a lap.
The Ferrari driver eventually came home in sixth - behind teammate Charles Leclerc in fifth.
He said: “It was feeling decent up until then.
“Good start, held position, I was feeling optimistic and then I didn’t see it happening but I heard I hit a groundhog.
“That’s devastating, I love animals and I’m so sad about it, that’s horrible! That’s never happened to me here, but the floor had a hole in it.
“Given that, had a brake issue, we stayed out too long in the first stop. One thing led to another, grateful I could just finish and bag those points.”
Hamilton's old team - Mercedes - secured a double podium and their first win of the season - as George Russell took the chequered flag.
Meanwhile, Italian teen Kimi Antonelli secured his first podium in F1.
Hamilton is yet to bag a podium for Ferrari.
He said: “We’re in need of an upgrade, a lot of things need to change for us.
“Just one of those years.”
Ferrari are anticipated to introduce an upgrade aimed at enhancing the rear suspension at the race following the next one - Hamilton’s home Grand Prix at Silverstone.
After ten rounds, Hamilton currently sits sixth in the championship standings, trailing leader Oscar Piastri by 119 points.
