– Lewis Hamilton regularly makes headlines in the Formula 1 paddock – but probably no one expected his latest “family member” at Albert Park. At a fan event during the Australian Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion sent the crowd into a frenzy when he presented a photo of his new pet: a cow named Max.
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Actually, Hamilton was just sitting on stage with his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc to chat about the upcoming race weekend. But when a picture appeared on the video screen, the Brit couldn’t help but grin. “Oh yeah, that’s my cow,” Hamilton explained, visibly amused. “His name is Max!”
After an audible murmur from the audience and initial laughter, Hamilton immediately switched into defense mode – with a wink, of course. “I didn’t give him the name! I basically inherited him,” he clarified. “I swear on my life, this is no joke. I have a farm and I adopted him. His name is just Max.”
Animals on the farm
In addition to Max, another cow named “Ombre” belongs to Hamilton’s new rural entourage. For the Brit, the animals are more than just livestock: “They are totally gentle. For me, they are basically the new Roscoes.”
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Behind the humorous anecdote, however, is an emotional background. Hamilton’s long-time companion, the English bulldog Roscoe, had passed away in September 2025. The loss of the secret star of the paddock left a gap that Lewis is now apparently filling through life on the farm.
The clip from Melbourne spread like wildfire on social media. Fans naturally celebrated the name similarity with Hamilton’s long-time rival Max Verstappen.
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Fans react to name
“Lewis calling every farm to find a cow named Max just so he can play it off cool,” joked one user on Reddit.
“Lewis adopting a Max now was not on my bingo card for this year,” said another comment.
Another fan already suggested a new TV format: “He just needs a few side characters and Amazon gives the green light for ‘Hamilton’s Farm'”, in reference to Jeremy Clarkson’s cult series.
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Will there ever be a meeting between Max the cow and World Champion Max? Fans would love it. Until then, Hamilton enjoys the peace on the farm – and the knowledge that he has already provided the laugh of the weekend.
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