Lewis Hamilton reveals he feels devastated after hitting a groundhog at the 2025 Canadian GP, a tragic race-destroying moment that left him out of contention with significant floor damage.
The incident took place around Lap 8 or 9 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and left the seven-time Formula 1 world champion out of contention in the hunt for a podium, or even a shot at the win.
Ultimately that went to George Russell and Mercedes, ahead of Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli whilst the Brit languished around 30 seconds behind his teammate prior to a safety car on Lap 67, carrying damage worth around half-a-second per lap.
Onboard footage shows the groundhog, a small mammal native to North America and related to European marmot, in the middle of the racing line between Turn 9 and 10 as the Ferrari approached and sadly struck it.
The animal would have been killed instantly and there was a lot of damage to the floor of the SF-25, effectively ending the afternoon in the process for Hamilton, who admits he was devastated after the tragic race-destroying moment at the 2025 Canadian GP.
“It was feeling pretty decent up until then,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. “I got a good start, held position, I was holding on to the group, I was managing the tyres well, so I was feeling optimistic.
More from the Singapore GP
Catch up with Total Motorsport's latest Singapore GP coverage, including Max Verstappen's victory at Marina Bay, Ferrari's costly strategy gamble, the full race classification, and the updated 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings.
“And then, I didn’t see it happen, but obviously I heard I hit a groundhog. So that’s devastating.
“I love animals and I’m so sad about it, that’s horrible. That’s never happened to me here before.”
Hamilton happy to take fifth at 2025 Canadian GP after day full of miserable moments
The Brit, who is famously vegan and even has his dog on a vegan diet, is known for his love of animals and his desire to be more climate-conscious and aware of his impact on nature.
Thus, it’s little surprise that he feels sadder about accidentally taking the life of the little animal than the damage on his car, something that does happen in Montreal due to their habitats around the circuit.
For example, Red Bull’s Verstappen almost hit one in 2024 as they tend to rush out across the track, naturally failing to comprehend the speed and danger of these cars.
Hamilton says it’s the first time it’s happened to him in over 17 years of Formula 1 racing and that wasn’t where his tough afternoon ended as he revealed an array of problems from June 15’s race, including brake issues and poor strategy.
“The floor, basically, the right side has a hole in it,” Hamilton added. “And all the vanes are gone.
“So given that, then we had a brake issue halfway through as well, and then we stayed out probably too long in the first [pit] stop and came out behind traffic.
“And [it] just went from one thing to another. So, I’m grateful that I could just finish, particularly with the brake issue I had, and bag those points.”
