Hamilton feels Roscoe's absence at Silverstone

Lewis Hamilton said the 2026 British Grand Prix is the first time in many years he has arrived at Silverstone without Roscoe, the English bulldog who became a familiar part of his home race before dying in September 2025 after pneumonia.

Speaking in the Silverstone press room, the Ferrari driver said the absence still feels strange because Roscoe had been such a constant presence in the paddock. Hamilton said he misses Roscoe and his other late bulldog, Coco, every day, and added that he still keeps a photo of Roscoe on another phone.

"It's kind of crazy," Hamilton said. "For all those that have dogs, I miss him every day. So, I miss both of my dogs every day. I still have them on my other phone. I have a picture of him. But yeah, it's kind of crazy."

Roscoe had travelled with Hamilton in Formula 1 since 2013 and became a fan favorite around the paddock, especially at Silverstone. Coco died in 2020 after a suspected heart attack, leaving Roscoe as Hamilton's regular companion until last September.

Hamilton's memories of Roscoe brought a lighter moment when he was seated alongside former Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas. He recalled Roscoe snoring through the night before waking him up to go outside, only to do his business in front of Bottas's motorhome.

"He just always went there; I don't know why," Hamilton said. Bottas smiled and replied: "To me, it was a present." Hamilton laughed and answered that Roscoe was "just leaving your gift behind."

For Hamilton, the joke sat alongside a more emotional reminder of what Roscoe meant at his home grand prix. "It was amazing to see the love that he got here when he came," he said. "He was very much a part of Silverstone."

That is what makes this weekend different. Roscoe was long as recognizable in Hamilton's Silverstone orbit as the driver himself, and his absence is one that the paddock and fans around Britain's race are likely to feel with Hamilton.