Ferrari’s star driver, seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, has stepped away from a scheduled Pirelli tire testing session on Friday at Mugello Circuit in Italy, prioritizing time with his 12-year-old bulldog Roscoe, who has fallen into a coma. The team confirmed the withdrawal to ESPN, noting Hamilton’s decision to remain by his pet’s side during this difficult period.
On Friday morning, Hamilton shared a poignant update via Instagram, including photos from the veterinary clinic showing him at Roscoe’s bedside. “Please keep Roscoe in your thoughts,” the 40-year-old Briton wrote. “I want to keep you all updated.” He detailed the alarming sequence of events: “Roscoe caught pneumonia again and was struggling to breathe.
He was admitted into hospital and sedated to calm him while they did checks on him and during the process his heart stopped. They managed to get a heartbeat back and now he’s in a coma. We don’t know whether he will wake from this. Tomorrow we’ll try to wake him up. I’m by his side and want to thank you all for your prayers and support.”
Roscoe, adopted by Hamilton in 2013 during his early Mercedes days, has been more than a pet—he’s a beloved fixture in the F1 world, often joining his owner in the paddock and even boasting 1.3 million Instagram followers with a profile highlighting his vegan lifestyle, love for travel, and ball-playing antics.
The bulldog’s most recent paddock appearance came at July’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone, where he mingled among the teams as usual.
In Hamilton’s absence, Ferrari reserve driver Zhou Guanyu stepped up to handle the testing duties alongside regular racer Charles Leclerc. The session, run in a modified version of this year’s Ferrari SF-25, aims to assist Pirelli in locking down the specifications for the hardest tire compounds slated for the 2026 season.
Hamilton, who transitioned to Ferrari at the start of 2025 following a storied 12-year tenure with Mercedes that yielded six titles, has frequently credited Roscoe for providing emotional grounding amid the high-stakes racing calendar. Earlier this year, Roscoe battled pneumonia in April but pulled through, a resilience Hamilton now hopes to see repeated. Fans worldwide have flooded social media with messages of support, underscoring the dog’s status as a paddock icon and the deep bond shared with his owner.
As efforts continue to revive Roscoe on Saturday, the F1 community rallies around Hamilton, blending concern for his furry companion with admiration for his unwavering loyalty.
