An Homage to the Pets of Formula 1

Let’s take a minute to celebrate the beloved companions of our favorite drivers! No doubt, being a Formula 1 driver is an insular and odd lifestyle characterized by equal parts glamour and unimaginable pressure. For all the adulation and fame, I suspect there is also a fair amount of isolation. Travel - even to such exotic locations - is grueling. It doesn’t surprise me that many drivers, like other celebrities, turn to animals to keep them grounded. Dogs don’t care how fast you can drive or how much money you have; they love you because you’re you. Pets make us human.

My upcoming F1 romance features an open-hearted Texas cowgirl, a prickly British driver with a complicated past, and his sassy, devoted Corgi, Bingo. I want to state for the record that I wrote a scene in which Bingo wears a mini-sombrero to the Mexican Grand Prix BEFORE I saw pictures on social media of a famous F1 dog sporting a similar look!

But I must confess that my inspiration for the fictitious Bingo as an F1 canine companion is none other than Charles Leclerc’s long-haired daushound, Leo. (Prounounced “lay-o,” not “lee-o”). Every time I see that dog relaxing on the dashboard of Charles’ Ferrari, trotting through the paddock in a custom Louis Vuitton harness, and generally living the high life, I laugh. The pup played a key role in his “parents” engagement, but he’s also been known to pee on the floor. No matter how pampered, he’s a real dog.

My favorite video is of Leo when he was a wee pup, standing resplendent on a speeding yacht, probably near his Monaco home. His little ears flap gloriously in the breeze, and he appears completely and utterly unconcerned that one good bounce over the waves will send him flying into the ocean. Dear Reader, the dog lives with aplomb and has more stamps on his passport than I ever will.

So let’s applaud Charles and Leo, and the fact that Max can name every cat breed under the sun, Alex and his siblings preside over a menagerie, Carlos’ family has dogs that are as athletic and focused as he is, Pierre has a poodle because of course he does, and that the loss of LewHam’s beloved bulldog hit the F1 world hard. Fame and fortune don’t insulate one from the devastating grief of losing a cherished companion.

Pets bring out the best in us all.