Danica Patrick sends prayers to Lewis Hamilton as his beloved pet dog Roscoe dies

Former IndyCar and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick has offered condolences to Lewis Hamilton after the death of his pet dog Roscoe. The 12-year-old French bulldog, a loved figure in the F1 paddock, died on Sunday, September 28, in the arms of his seven-time F1 champion dad.

Roscoe's health took a toll earlier last week, as he caught pneumonia for the second time this year. The bulldog was struggling to breathe when he was brought to the hospital. While undergoing treatment under sedation, Roscoe's heartbeat stopped. Fortunately, the doctors were able to revive him, but he went into a coma.

On Monday, Lewis Hamilton announced the heartbreaking news that he had to make the tough decision to let his beloved pet dog be put to sleep. The Ferrari driver called it the "hardest decision" of his life, and wrote a lengthy, soul-stirring tribute to Roscoe in an Instagram post.

Tributes and condolences poured in from the motorsport world and beyond. Danica Patrick, who currently works in F1 as a Sky Sports analyst, shared her reaction to the passing of Roscoe, which coincidentally is also the name of the village she grew up in, in Illinois.

"I’m so sorry. 💔 Dogs have such a special place in our lives. Losing one is one of the hardest experiences. Praying for your heart and Roscoes peace in heaven over the rainbow bridge," Patrick wrote.

A snapshot of Danica Patrick's reaction to the death of Lewis Hamilton's pet dog Roscoe | Image via Instagram (@lewishamilton)

Danica Patrick has two dogs - Dallas, an 11-year-old Siberian husky, whom she bought in 2014 on Mother's Day, and Ella, a 10-year-old Belgian Malinois. The 43-year-old is a devoted pet mom and regularly posts updates about their lives via her social media channels.

While celebrating Dallas' 11th birthday this year, she expressed how she loves both her dogs "more than humans." Patrick has also been taking great care of Ella, who is suffering from arthritis and requires stem cell therapy and PRP treatment.

The FIA and F1 teams react to the passing of Lewis Hamilton's dog Roscoe

Lewis Hamilton with his pet Roscoe at the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain - Source: Getty

Lewis Hamilton's pet Roscoe was a staple in the F1 paddock. The French bulldog toured the world with the Ferrari star as F1 went from one country to another as part of its racing schedule. Roscoe's fame was such that he even made a cameo in F1: The Movie, which had Hamilton as an executive producer.

Upon the news of his death, many F1 drivers, teams, and the governing body of the sport itself, the FIA, went into mourning. In response to Hamilton's X post, his former team McLaren wrote:

"Our thoughts are with you, Lewis. Roscoe was a star of the paddock and will be missed."

"Sorry for your loss, Lewis," wrote Red Bull Racing.

The FIA wrote:

"The FIA family is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Roscoe. Our thoughts are with you Lewis."

Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, and the Briton's former Mercedes teammate George Russell also shared their condolences.

About the author

Yash is a Motorsports journalist at Sportskeeda with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from one of India's top B-schools. With over 1.5 years of experience covering Formula 1 and a short stint covering the WNBA, he brings passionate authenticity to his writing.

Yash's first brush with the motorsport world was accidental. While flipping TV channels, he came across an episode of F1TV's 'Inside Tracks'. That was enough to engross him and make him dive head-first into devotedly following the sport.

Surprisingly, he favors no particular driver or team. This helps him bring complete objectivity to his reporting, which begins with meticulous research from trusted sources across the internet.

When motorsport isn't on Yash's mind, he's either at the gym, out for a walk, or indulging in creative writing.

Know More

Edited by Yash Kotak