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Lewis Hamilton Heartbroken After Hitting Groundhog in Canadian GP

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Samriddhi Jaiswal | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 1:19 PM ET

Lewis Hamilton was left visibly shaken and emotionally distraught after Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix not just because of his underwhelming result, but due to an unexpected and heartbreaking incident on track.

“I heard I hit a groundhog, so that’s devastating,” Hamilton told reporters after the race. “I love animals and I’m so sad about it. That’s horrible, ugh. That’s never happened to me here.”

The seven-time world champion had been running strongly early in the race, but his performance dropped off significantly after Lap 13.

Sky Sports later confirmed that Hamilton’s Ferrari had sustained damage that cost him 20 points of downforce, a significant handicap in Montreal’s high-speed sections.

The cause of the damage? A groundhog.

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, known for its beautiful island setting, has long dealt with groundhog sightings during race weekends. While track officials do their best to keep wildlife off the circuit, incidents like this, unfortunately, still occur.

Hamilton finished sixth, but his post-race comments made it clear that the result was the last thing on his mind. As a well-known advocate for animal welfare and a vegan lifestyle, the incident clearly hit him hard.

Lewis: "I heard I hit a groundhog, so that’s devastating. I love animals and I’m so sad about it. That’s horrible, ugh. That’s never happened to me here.”

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— sin ⁴⁴ (@44britcedes) June 15, 2025

It was a painful twist in what’s already been a challenging first season with Ferrari and a reminder that even F1’s fiercest competitors have soft spots.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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