The dog which briefly interrupted a practice session for Formula One’s Bahrain Grand Prix has been found by circuit workers and sent to a local animal rescue centre.
After a lengthy stoppage caused by Alex Albon’s crash, the session resumed for just half a minute before the dog was spotted running alongside the track. That prompted the red flags – signalling the postponement of the session – while the animal was taken away from the track.
The sighting of the dog prompted Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel to sing the Baha Men’s ‘Who Let The Dogs Out’ over his car radio, while Lewis Hamilton joked that he hoped it was not his own dog, Roscoe.
Session ‘Paws-ed’ in Bahrain 🐶 🐾#BahrainGP 🇧🇭 #F1 pic.twitter.com/Ml4F4CUg0r
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 27, 2020
On Saturday, the BIC confirmed the dog had been found, before asking help from its social media following to name her.
Posting to its official Twitter page, the circuit said: Important Pupdate!! Remember our visitor from FP2? She’s been found (thanks to @Bahrain_Rescues) and is now in the amazing care of@BSPCA_BH. Been checked by the vet and she’s doing well. Anyone got an idea for a name?”
Important Pupdate!! Remember our visitor from FP2? She’s been found (thanks to @Bahrain_Rescues) and is now in the amazing care of @BSPCA_BH. Been checked by the vet and she’s doing well. Anyone got an idea for a name? @f1? 🐕 pic.twitter.com/HbYJICW75E
— Bahrain Int. Circuit (@BAH_Int_Circuit) November 28, 2020
Animals have been a common theme at recent F1 races. A stray dog also interrupted a practice session at the last race, the Turkish Grand Prix, while a local cat became a popular part of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix during F1’s return to Imola last month. The Imola circuit later revealed the cat was a regular visitor named Formulino.