‘It’s hell’: Clarkson sets feud aside as Hamilton mourns the loss of Roscoe
Jeremy Clarkson, never shy of a jab at Lewis Hamilton this season, parked the snark on Monday to offer something gentler. After Hamilton confirmed the death of his English bulldog, Roscoe, the TV presenter replied on X with a simple message: “Really sorry to hear that. It’s hell.”
For once, the amplifier of paddock needle hit mute. And almost everyone did, because Roscoe wasn’t just a Hamilton companion — he’d become part of the traveling circus over the past decade, padding through garages and turning heads long before his owner traded Mercedes black for Ferrari red in 2025.
Hamilton, a seven-time World Champion and now leading Ferrari’s charge this year, revealed that Roscoe, 12, died on Sunday night after complications from pneumonia. The dog suffered a cardiac arrest, was placed on life support and, after four days in a coma, Hamilton made what he called “the hardest decision of my life.”
“He never stopped fighting, right until the very end,” Hamilton wrote in a heartfelt post announcing the news. “I feel so grateful and honoured to have shared my life with such a beautiful soul, an angel and true friend.”
Messages poured in from across the paddock. Mercedes, the team Hamilton left after 12 seasons to join Ferrari, wrote that Roscoe “brought so much joy to those who met him.” George Russell, Hamilton’s former teammate, added: “I’m so sorry for your loss mate.” Williams boss James Vowles, who worked alongside Hamilton through the Silver Arrows’ dominant years, sent his condolences as well. It was a quiet moment of unity in a sport that rarely stands still.
Clarkson’s note stood out because of the year’s backstory. He’s spent much of 2025 puncturing Hamilton’s move to Ferrari with barbs about age and form, doubling down in recent months with claims the Briton was “past his prime.” He even floated the idea that Christian Horner might think twice about a Ferrari job to avoid working with Hamilton. Monday’s reply wasn’t a truce — nobody’s expecting that — but it was a reminder that, when something real happens, the usual theatre takes a back seat.
Hamilton’s post read like a goodbye letter to a friend. He described holding Roscoe as he passed, thanking fans for years of affection and acknowledging the shared pain for anyone who’s had to put a pet to sleep. “Although it was so hard, having him was one of the most beautiful parts of life,” he wrote, “to love so deeply and to be loved in return.” He said Roscoe died on the evening of September 28, in his arms.
Roscoe has been by Hamilton’s side since 2013 — the same year he began the Mercedes chapter that reshaped F1’s record books and helped define an era. Hamilton’s career move to Ferrari this year, recorded on the 2025 grid as a headline in itself, inevitably shifted the spotlight, but Roscoe remained the constant. In a sport obsessed with margins, he brought something soft to the hard edges.
It’s easy to roll your eyes at public grieving on social media — until the thing being mourned is the four-legged friend who’s seen you through title runs, bad weekends, flight delays and contracts. That’s why the response cut across team lines. Drivers know that rhythm: airports, simulators, debriefs, hotel rooms that all look the same. A familiar face greeting you at the door matters.
Ferrari, of course, has its own busy calendar and the championship picture doesn’t pause. But Hamilton, who’s adapted to Maranello’s world this season and remains the most decorated driver on the 2025 grid, won’t be short of support on either side of the garage. Formula 1 is ruthless on track; off it, it still finds pockets of community.
Clarkson will most likely revert to form soon enough — that’s show business. Hamilton will, too — that’s racing. For now, though, the noise has faded, replaced by something simple and very human. A driver said goodbye to his best mate. The paddock, including one of his loudest critics, tipped its cap.
