Lewis Hamilton runs over animal in ‘horrible’ incident at Canadian GP

Ferrari driver Hamilton said the incident was ‘devastating’ and caused damage to his car in Montreal

Lewis Hamilton revealed he ran over a groundhog – which damaged his Ferrari car – in Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix.

Hamilton started the Montreal race in fifth and looked to be on course for a positive 70 laps, before his grand prix was impacted early on.

Replays show Hamilton’s Ferrari car ran over a groundhog, a common issue at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Notre Dame Island in Montreal, which resulted in a hole in the floor of his SF-25.

Hamilton was short of speed thereafter, losing roughly half a second a lap, and eventually came home in sixth, behind teammate Charles Leclerc in fifth.

“It was feeling decent up until then,” Hamilton said. “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 with George Russell taking the chequered flag.

Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli also bagged his first podium in F1 – a notable day, therefore, for Hamilton, who is yet to secure a podium for Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton ran over a groundhog in the Canadian GP (Getty)

“We’re in need of an upgrade, a lot of things need to change for us,” Hamilton added.

“Just one of those years.”

Ferrari are expected to bring an upgrade for the race after next, Hamilton’s home race in Silverstone, with the goal of improving the rear suspension.

After 10 races, Hamilton is sixth in the championship standings, 119 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri.