Hamilton Heartbroken After Hitting Animal Mid-Race, Damaging Car
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton picked up damage during the Canadian Grand Prix through strange means.
Debris fills a Formula 1 circuit before, during, and after a race, though most of it is pieces of the vehicles driven on the track.
Hamilton's SF-25 was damaged by one of the weirdest pieces of debris ever collected on the track: a hedgehog.
The Ferrari was going around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve when it ended up going over a hedgehog.
Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Ferrari seeks shade under an umbrella in the pit lane during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Canada.
Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Ferrari seeks shade under an umbrella in the pit lane during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Canada.
Photo byHamilton was unaware of the damage until race engineer Riccardo Adami let the driver know over the radio.
After the race, team personnel examined the car and, unfortunately, found the remains of a groundhog.
Known for loving animals, especially his dog Roscoe, Hamilton felt distraught when speaking to the media following the grand prix.
"I didn't see it happen, but obviously I heard I hit a groundhog, so that's devastating," Hamilton said.
"I love animals, and I'm so sad about it. That's horrible. That's never happened to me here before."
Lewis Hamilton's damage early on in the race was caused by a groundhog...
Sleep well 😔#CanadianGP pic.twitter.com/BwU4rYbIH5 — Autosport (@autosport) June 15, 2025
Hamilton's race suffered as a result of the damage, limiting the amount of downforce created by the car.
Adami notified Hamilton about the hindrance after the seven-time world champion said he was going "nowhere" in the race, providing context for the lackluster pace.
All things considered, he left the race feeling good about his performance, given the circumstances.
"I think it was feeling pretty decent up until [the collision]," Hamilton added.
"I got a good start, held position, I was holding onto the group. I was managing the tyres well, so I was feeling optimistic.
"So with the floor, basically the right side, there's a hole in it, and all the veins are all gone.
"So, given that, and we had a brake issue halfway through as well, and then we stayed out probably too long in the first stop and came out behind traffic, and just went from one thing to another.
"I'm grateful that I could just finish, particularly with the brake issue I had, and bag those points. We're really in need of an upgrade, and there's lots of things that need to change in order for us to compete at the front."
The British driver finished a solid P6 during the race, though he was the seventh fastest car on track.
He got bumped up one spot after McLaren driver Lando Norris made a desperate lunge and crashed out of the race.
His first season at Ferrari is full of struggles, but the result in Canada can instill some worthwhile confidence back in Hamilton.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Charles Leclerc won't blame Isack Hadjar for poor Canadian GP qualifying
Charles Leclerc could scarcely contain his disappointment after qualifying only eighth for the Canadian Grand Prix, as the Ferrari Formula 1 driver believed he was in the fight for pole position. On his final tour in Q3, the Monegasque was caught out by a snap at Turn 7 mere moments after setting a purple first sector, which he blamed on the dirty air shed by Isack Hadjar's Racing Bulls machinery up ahead. Advertisement Leclerc thus abandoned the lap, ultimately ending the running in eighth place once the final flurry of laps were registered. Despite suffering an FP1 crash on Friday at Turn 3, which counted him out of participating in FP2 owing to the need to replace his survival cell, Leclerc stated that the crash had genuinely had little impact on his weekend and that he was comfortable from the get-go once FP3 began. "[Was qualifying] impacted in any kind of way from yesterday? Zero. From FP3 from the first laps, I felt good, so I regretted nothing," Leclerc explained. "I basically didn't change the car since my three laps in FP1, because I was happy with the car. Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls "I'm just very, very disappointed with Q3 because I think that the beginning of the lap was worth, or at least good enough, to be fighting for pole position and we are now starting P8, so very disappointed with that." Advertisement Midway through his post-session comments to media, Leclerc briefly ducked out to speak to Hadjar in the pen - before returning to explain what he'd said. He added that although he was affected by his wake, he could not apportion any blame to the Frenchman. "It was [Hadjar's dirty air]. I mean, we are going to look back at the data,' he said. 'On a track like this with the walls, it's like Monaco, it's like some other tracks where it's always trickier with the dirty air. "Obviously emotions are running high when you are in the car. I don't think he's done anything wrong, but we know how it is. I mean, sometimes depending on where you are catching a car, then this can have a big influence on the lap. Advertisement "It had a huge influence on me. I just wanted to obviously warn him what I said in the car, that I was quite angry, but there's nothing wrong with what Isack has done." Read Also: F1 Canadian GP: George Russell storms to pole ahead of Max Verstappen This is the starting grid for the 2025 F1 Canadian GP Despite qualifying lower than he had hoped, Leclerc said he felt he could still target a podium finish in Sunday's race in Montreal, he stated that those chances were entirely dependent on whether he was able to make swift progress early on. "I want to target the podium,' he added. 'But it all depends on how quickly we are going to get past the others.' Photos from Canadian GP - Practice & Qualifying Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Oscar Piastri, McLaren Oscar Piastri, McLaren Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Andy Hone / Motorsport Images George Russell, Mercedes George Russell, Mercedes James Sutton / Motorsport Images Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Alex Albon, Williams Alex Albon, Williams Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Carlos Sainz, Williams Carlos Sainz, Williams Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari James Sutton / Motorsport Images Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Lando Norris, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images Pierre Gasly, Alpine Pierre Gasly, Alpine Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Lando Norris, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images Williams pit crew Williams pit crew Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber James Sutton / Motorsport Images Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari James Sutton / Motorsport Images To read more articles visit our website.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Max Verstappen's Girlfriend Reacts to His Canadian Grand Prix Finish
Max Verstappen's Girlfriend Reacts to His Canadian Grand Prix Finish originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Max Verstappen's girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, proved that she is his biggest supporter despite missing out on the top step of the podium at the Canadian Grand Prix. Advertisement In the recently concluded Formula One race in Montreal, the Oracle Red Bull racing driver fell short after finishing in second place behind George Russell of the Mercedes team. Amid the unfavorable result for Verstappen, he celebrated the moment with an Instagram post highlighting his performance. Moreover, he also hinted at his next move, which is at the Austrian Grand Prix on June 29. 'We maximized everything here in Montreal, got some good points,' he said, adding, 'Looking forward to Austria.' The post included a photo that captured him holding the trophy and spraying champagne in celebration on the podium after the race. Verstappen's Instagram update sparked a wave of enthusiastic reactions from fans. Advertisement 'MAXimum drive max. P2 was fantastic. Looking forward to Austria,' one wrote. 'So proud of you Max!! Did the best you could!!!' another user added. However, what struck the fans the most was a subtle yet heartfelt message from his girlfriend. The Brazilian and Dutch model also marked the moment by commenting with a red heart emoji signaling her love and support for Verstappen. In addition to this, Piquet also shared a video of the racing star accepting the trophy, along with heart-sign emojis showing her affection and pride. The Belgian-Dutch racer met his now-girlfriend in 2020 and it was only in 2021 when the couple became Instagram official. Second place Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. David Kirouac-Imagn Images Despite their nine-year age gap, Verstappen and Piquet shared many things in common — one of the most notable being their deep roots in Formula 1 families. Advertisement While the Red Bull driver was the son of former racer Jos Verstappen, the Vogue cover girl was the daughter of former Brazilian racer and three-time Formula One World Champion, Nelson Piquet. Related: Max Verstappen's Girlfriend Shares Stunning Post-Baby Look on Sunday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez vs. Trump—Which Policies Americans Prefer
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new poll has examined whether Americans prefer the policies embraced by Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or President Donald Trump. Newsweek has reached out to the White House and Ocasio-Cortez's office for comment via email. Why It Matters Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive firebrand from New York, has been floated as a potential presidential White House candidate for 2028. There has also been speculation that should could attempt to primary Senator Chuck Schumer, the longtime party leader in the upper chamber. She would likely be a favorite among the party's more progressive voters in a White House bid, but some more moderate Democrats have raised concerns that the self-described "Democratic-Socialist" could be less electable in the general election against a Republican, such as Vice President JD Vance who could run to succeed Trump. The latest poll from the Napolitan Institute could be an early indicator about how voters are feeling about the 2028 race, and whether they are inclined to back Ocasio-Cortez, or a similarly progressive candidate, over a Republican. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 19, 2024. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 19, 2024. ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images What To Know The poll of 2,000 registered voters, conducted from June 9 to June 12, asked Americans who they would support in a four-way race between a Republican supporting Trump's policies, a more traditional Republican, a Democrat supporting Ocasio-Cortez's policies or a more traditional Democrat. The poll asked respondents to assume "equal skill and temperament" among all candidates and to focus more on which policies they would cast a ballot for. The largest number of voters said they would be inclined to support a Trump-aligned Republican, with 35 percent making that choice. Just 17 percent said they would be likely to vote for a Democrat supporting Ocasio-Cortez's policies. Seventeen percent said they would also back a more traditional Republican, while 22 percent said they would support a more traditional Democrat. An additional 9 percent said they were unsure who they would vote for in the scenarios presented. The poll could be an indication which ideas Americans gravitate toward, but it doesn't account for factors like candidate quality—or how voters who prefer more traditional party candidates would sway in an election against a Trump-aligned candidate against Ocasio-Cortez. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points. The Napolitan poll comes as other recent polls have gauged how popular Ocasio-Cortez is compared to Trump. A YouGov poll, which surveyed 1,610 adults from May 30 to June 2 found that 44 percent of Americans said they view Trump favorably, compared to 51 percent who view him unfavorably. Only four percent did not have a clear opinion on the president. The same poll found that 34 percent view Ocasio-Cortez favorably, compared to 40 percent who view her unfavorably. However, more than a quarter—26 percent—of respondents said they did not know how they viewed the New York lawmaker. Meanwhile, at AtlasIntel poll last month showed Ocasio-Cortez with stronger numbers than Trump. Forty-six percent of respondents viewed her favorably, while 44 percent viewed her negatively. Trump was viewed positively by 44 percent and negatively by 55 percent of respondents. The poll included 3,469 respondents and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. It was carried out from May 21 through May 27. What People Are Saying Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Fox News in April when asked about her future plans: "This moment isn't about campaigns, or elections, or about politics. It's about making sure people are protected, and we've got people that are getting locked up for exercising their First Amendment rights. We're getting 2-year-olds that are getting deported into cells in Honduras. We're getting people that are about to get kicked off of Medicaid. That, to me, is most important." Monica Crowley, a former official in the Treasury Department during the first Trump administration, told Fox News last November: "Just a word of warning to the Republicans, to my party: Do not underestimate AOC. She's young, she's vibrant, she's attractive." What Happens Next Ocasio-Cortez has not made her future plans clear and most White House candidates are unlikely to announce their bids until after the 2026 midterms.
