Fernando Alonso Follows Lewis Hamilton’s Footsteps as Lizard Interruptions Steals Limelight Minutes Before Tragedy

Do you recall Max Verstappen’s encounter with the Godzilla? Well, not exactly the full-blown version but the same species. It wouldn’t be a Singapore GP without a Lizard invading the track. As the Lizard interrupts the Singapore GP weekend once again to steal the limelight, Fernando Alonso follows Lewis Hamilton’s footsteps as an unfortunate tragedy happens at the Marina Bay street circuit.

Lizards are fairly common in Singapore and pretty harmless for the most part. In Fact, they help the households in keeping the population of the insects pretty low. Unfortunately, sometimes these creatures make it onto the circuit as it’s a street circuit. Even Fernando Alonso, who is on the verge of completing 100,000 km of racing this weekend, couldn’t avoid a chaotic encounter with the wildlife at Marina Bay.

Hamilton and Alonso have been bitter rivals since the former’s rookie season in McLaren in 2007 with Alonso as his teammate. Alonso always wanted to equal Michael Schumacher’s record but it was Hamilton who was able to do it. However, at the Singapore GP, Alonso was indeed able to follow Lewis Hamilton’s fate.

Lewis once hit a bird during the 2016 Mexican GP. The Brit locked up, cut the corner, went onto the grass, and hit a seagull with his wing. Fernando suffered the same fate just minutes after the Lizard first appeared on track during the 2023 Singapore GP FP1 session. After the initial appearance, it is believed that Alonso hit the Lizard with his AMR23 causing the reptile to be splattered on the track. 

While it’s not something Alonso would’ve wanted to do, it did unfortunately happen. But these two aren’t the only times that animals have made it onto the F1 track. 

Read More: Max Verstappen Comes Face to Face with “Godzilla” Again; Gianpiero Lambiase’s 5 Word Prediction Steals the Show

Wildlife making it onto the F1 track

It seems that humans aren’t the only species who love F1. Animals have made it onto the F1 tarmac many times. And it’s not always been unfortunate. Sebastian Vettel is one who’s had many encounters with the animal. The 4X champ almost hit a bird during the 2019 German GP. He was then cheered on by a dog during the 2020 Bahrain GP which was followed by Vettel singing “Who let the dogs out” for the animal. The German also went face to face with the Imola cat in 2020 in the paddock.

And that isn’t the only time that dogs made it onto the F1 track. Multiple dogs made it onto the Buddh International Circuit at the 2011 Indian GP. Other encounters include Groundhogs and Squirrels in Canada, and a deer in Austria back in 2011. Max Verstappen also went face-to-face with Godzilla’s kid at the 2023 Singapore GP. 

Will we see the Godzilla’s kid back on Sunday?

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