Lewis Hamilton opens up on grief as dog Roscoe was 'most important thing in my life'

Lewis Hamilton revealed he has been lifted by the "overwhelming" support he has received following the death of his dog Roscoe. The seven-time Formula 1 champion made the difficult decision to put the bulldog to sleep on Sunday night after his heart stopped and he slipped into a coma whilst receiving veterinary treatment.

Hamilton adopted Roscoe as a puppy in 2013 and frequently brought him along to F1 circuits. His final appearance was at the British Grand Prix in July, having recovered from an initial bout of pneumonia before the illness returned late last month, resulting in the driver losing what he has called "the most important thing in my life".

Speaking publicly for the first time since revealing his loss, at the Marina Bay Circuit before this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, Hamilton expressed gratitude to supporters for their kindness during this challenging time.

"It has been amazing to see the support from so many people around the world," he said. "It is overwhelming just to see how much Roscoe touched people and meant to people. The kind messages that I have received have been really uplifting, so I am really grateful for that.

"Anyone out there that knows what it is like to lose a pet, you know how painful it is. I read somewhere that grief is the last act of love, and I am definitely feeling that. I've not been able to reply to everybody but he was the most important thing in my life so it was a very difficult experience.

"I know so many people in the world have gone through it and know what it's like to have a pet that gives you such amazing love and it's an amazing experience. But I'm really just looking forward to now just getting back in the car and doing what I love doing here."

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Hamilton's attention now turns to finding better performance in the upcoming races following a challenging outing at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Ferrari surrendered second spot in the constructors' standings to their Mercedes rivals.

The driver revealed he'll be competing not just for himself, but for everyone who has rallied around him during this tough period, alongside his Ferrari colleagues who have been pushing hard to help rescue the team's season.

Hamilton said: "I think there's a lot of people that deserve a good result from my side and this team. The Tifosi and the people that have been following me and all the people that have been checking in and been so supportive over this past whole year but also this past week.

"I think it's in moments like that where you really see people show up for you and that's been, as I said, really overwhelming to see and really well welcomed."