Lewis Hamilton says death of his dog Roscoe ‘one of the most painful experiences’

LONDON — Lewis Hamilton says his bulldog Roscoe, a fixture in the Formula 1 paddock, has died following days of medical treatment and that putting him to sleep was “one of the most painful experiences” of the seven-time F1 champion’s life.

Hamilton missed a tire testing day last week as he cared for Roscoe, who was at the time in a coma following a pneumonia infection. Roscoe died on Sunday evening, Hamilton posted on Instagram on Monday.

“After four days on life support, fighting with every bit of strength he had, I had to make the hardest decision of my life and say goodbye to Roscoe. He never stopped fighting, right until the very end,” Hamilton said. 

The 12-year-old Roscoe, who Hamilton called his “best friend” in a post on X, has been a regular sight in the F1 paddock for much of Hamilton’s career and has 1.4 million followers on Instagram.

“Although I lost Coco (Hamilton’s dog who died in 2020), I have never been faced with putting a dog to sleep before, though I know my mum and many close friends have,” he added.

“It is one of the most painful experiences and I feel a deep connection to everyone who has gone through the loss of a beloved pet. Although it was so hard, having him was one of the most beautiful parts of life, to love so deeply and to be loved in return.”