Lewis Hamilton pulls out of Ferrari event amid Roscoe health scare as replacement named

Lewis Hamilton has withdrawn from a test drive with Ferrari at short notice. The seven-time Formula 1 champion was set to represent his team alongside Charles Leclerc in a Pirelli tyre test at Italy's Mugello circuit on Friday, but it's now confirmed that he won't be participating.

The exact reasons behind his sudden no-show have not been confirmed. However, this comes shortly after the British racing star shared a concerning update about his beloved bulldog Roscoe's health on social media.

Hamilton requested "thoughts and prayers" from fans for his loyal pet, who is approximately 13 years old. Roscoe, adopted by the F1 legend in 2013, has been a frequent guest in the paddock at several European races over the years.

Unfortunately, he fell ill earlier this year, battling pneumonia, and it seems his health has taken another downturn as the F1 driver posted a photo of his dog inside an oxygen kennel, lying down and swaddled in blankets. "It's been a scary few hours," Hamilton penned in the caption next to the image. "Everyone, please keep Roscoe in your thoughts and prayers."

This was shared on his Instagram story late on Wednesday and, since then, there has been no public update on his dog's condition. Hamilton has not made the journey to Mugello as initially planned for a rest, leaving Leclerc and reserve driver Zhou Guanyu to take the wheel.

Zhou, who previously raced for Sauber in F1 for two seasons before losing his spot on the grid last year, now serves as a backup to Ferrari's main racers. Alongside Antonio Giovinazzi, he is one of two racers the team have on standby to call up if Hamilton or Leclerc are unable to drive.

READ MORE: Martin Brundle confirms surprise comeback aged 66 as Sky Sports F1 favourite enters race

READ MORE: Romain Grosjean F1 return confirmed after Haas hero's near-death fireball crash

Ferrari are set to test a heavily modified 'mule' car, designed to mimic what a 2026 F1 car might handle like. This is to help tyre supplier Pirelli gather more accurate data from testing the tyres they're developing for next year's World Championship.

There will also be a poignant moment at the Italian track on Friday with Haas also present. They have invited their former driver Romain Grosjean to participate in a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) event. It will mark the Frenchman's first time back in an F1 car since his fiery crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, which he was fortunate to survive.

"To say I'm excited to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car would naturally be an understatement," the 39-year-old said. "I really can't believe it's been almost five years, but to come back and have this outing with my old team is truly something special.

"My kids had designed my helmet for what was meant to be my final Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi back in 2020 - I'm at last going to be able to give it a go in a Formula 1 car on Friday."