Lizard adds to Formula One's track menagerie
There's a giant lizard on the track
There's a giant lizard on the track. PHOTO: REUTERS
Formula One acquired an exotic addition to its list of wildlife hazards on Saturday after a large monitor lizard wandered onto the Singapore Grand Prix circuit during final practice.
"There's a giant lizard on the track," exclaimed Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.
"You came face to face with Godzilla," the 18-year-old's engineer told him over the pit-to-car radio after the startled Dutchman alerted the team to the reptile's presence.
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The incident triggered a Twitter flurry and plenty of amusement.
"New friend in FP3," commented McLaren driver Fernando Alonso on Instagram to accompany a picture of the animal on the asphalt.
Drivers are used to groundhogs and foxes making track incursions at Canada's Gilles Villeneuve circuit in Montreal while stray dogs proved a danger when the sport raced at India's Buddh circuit near New Delhi.
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Deer have appeared on track in Austria in the past, snakes in Malaysia and a cat ran out in front of cars in Azerbaijan's debut race this year in Baku.
There have also been a number of human incursions, including one at last year's Singapore race when a lone intruder ambled across the floodlit track midway through the race and then strolled by the metal fences as cars came past.
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"I had to look again as I wasn't sure if I had a problem with my eyesight and that I actually saw somebody crossing the track," Ferrari's race winner Sebastian Vettel told reporters at the time.
A 27-year-old British national was later sentenced to six weeks in jail for breaching the security fences.
Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.
"There's a giant lizard on the track," exclaimed Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.
"You came face to face with Godzilla," the 18-year-old's engineer told him over the pit-to-car radio after the startled Dutchman alerted the team to the reptile's presence.
Man accused of mailing dead skunks, raccoon to rival for job
The incident triggered a Twitter flurry and plenty of amusement.
"New friend in FP3," commented McLaren driver Fernando Alonso on Instagram to accompany a picture of the animal on the asphalt.
Drivers are used to groundhogs and foxes making track incursions at Canada's Gilles Villeneuve circuit in Montreal while stray dogs proved a danger when the sport raced at India's Buddh circuit near New Delhi.
70-year-old man robs bank to go to jail and avoid his wife
Deer have appeared on track in Austria in the past, snakes in Malaysia and a cat ran out in front of cars in Azerbaijan's debut race this year in Baku.
There have also been a number of human incursions, including one at last year's Singapore race when a lone intruder ambled across the floodlit track midway through the race and then strolled by the metal fences as cars came past.
Dutch police recruits eagles against drones
"I had to look again as I wasn't sure if I had a problem with my eyesight and that I actually saw somebody crossing the track," Ferrari's race winner Sebastian Vettel told reporters at the time.
A 27-year-old British national was later sentenced to six weeks in jail for breaching the security fences.
Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.