Live on TV during FP2, on day one of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, viewers witnessed the final moments in the life of a large marmot before its life was snuffed out when struck at high-speed by Romain Grosjean’s Haas.
The large rodent found itself a juicy piece of grass on the inside of the final turn and while chomping burrowed its way towards the track before it made the fatal mistake of edging onto the track and as a result was sent to meet its maker.
Grosjean recalled afterwards, “It was a big impact, t was a big animal. It’s a bit disappointing because they showed it on TV before the beginning of the session at Turn 13, and that’s exactly where I hit it. I’m surprised they didn’t move it. ”
Haas team chief Guenther Steiner warned before the race in Montreal that the American team were scarce on spare parts after a spell of races in which twice Grosjean seriously damaged his car – in Barcelona on the opening lap of the race and in Baku when he slammed the wall warming his tyres.
Grosjean added,”It’s a shame for the animal, of course, and it’s a shame for our front wing as well. We are quite limited on spare parts, and losing a front wing like this is a bit disappointing.”
“It felt like a big impact. If that happens to you in the race, your race is over – the damage was quite big,” predicted Grosjean whose Haas sported a damaged front nose and wing after the afternoon sessions at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.