Groundhogs stole the show during FP1 of Canadian GP 2023 – how many times has it happened before?
There have been a multiple instances of groundhogs making appearances on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal during the Canadian Grand Prix.
The most well-known incident occurred during the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix. A groundhog wandered onto the track during the race, causing a brief safety car period while officials worked to remove it safely. The groundhog became known as “Gus the Groundhog” and gained some fame as a result of the incident.
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is located on an island, which provides habitat for wildlife, including groundhogs. Occasionally, these animals find their way onto the track during the race weekends. Race organizers and officials are typically prepared to handle such situations swiftly and ensure the safety of both the animals and the drivers.
The home of the Canadian GP – Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is 4.361 km long comprising a total of 14 turns. The circuit has a total crowd capacity of 1,00,000 making it a spectacle on the F1 calendar. Barriers run close to the circuit and many experienced drivers have been caught out by them.
A particularly famous part of the circuit is ‘the wall’ on the outside of the exit of the final chicane before the start/finish straight. Another unique thing about this circuit is that it is often visited by our small four-legged friends – the Groundhogs. Let us take a look at some of the incidents from the past when F1 races at the Canadian GP were interrupted by Groundhogs.
1. 2008 Canadian GP – The Canadian Grand Prix in 2008 was held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal on June 8, 2008. During the main race, a groundhog found its way onto the track and caused a brief interruption. A safety car period was called by the organizers until the small animal was safely taken off the track. This is the first recorded incident of Groundhogs affecting races in Canada. Since then, there have been multiple such incidents in F1.
2. 2014 Canadian GP – The 2014 Canadian GP was a thrilling race filled with action from the start to the finish. Incidentally, it was another race which was briefly interrupted by a Groundhog. A groundhog was spotted on the track mid-way through the race and a red flag was shown which stopped the session temporarily. It was only a brief pause and the race resumed soon after. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo won the race ahead of Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg and team-mate Sebastian Vettel.
3. 2018 Canadian GP – Romain Grosjean had hit a groundhog during the second practice session of the 2018 Canadian Grand Prix. As a result, the front wing of his Haas car was severely damaged. With Haas limited on spare parts for the main race a day after, Grosjean was left frustrated at the fact the animal was not removed from danger. Grosjean had also lashed out at officials for not removing the animal in time as the groundhog was spotted near Turn at the beginning of the session, much before Grosjean got anywhere near that area.
The latest incident of Groundhogs affecting the Canadian GP took place last week during the FP1 session in Montreal. The session was paused for a brief period as cameras captured a small pack of Groundhogs on the side of the track. However it was not the only reason why the session was paused as F1 revealed that there were issues with the local CCTV infrastructure.
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