Max Verstappen Won the Canadian Grand Prix With a Dead Bird in His Car

Max Verstappen didn't get to be one of the most decorated Formula One racers in history without staying calm behind the wheel. When a bird got stuck in his car's brake duct during the Canadian Grand Prix on June 18, the Belgian-Dutch professional managed to remain in first place all the way through the finish line.

Verstappen brought the Red Bull Racing team its 100^th F1 win over the weekend at Montréal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The squad's boss, Christian Horner, remarked on the scary snafu in a post-race interview with reporters.

"I think the biggest moment he had was hitting a bird that did half the race behind the front right brake duct," Horner admitted, per Reuters. All that was left by the time Verstappen came to a stop was "the remains of a bird" who met an untimely demise. He went on to commend Verstappen for having "a very, very controlled race."

The 25-year-old driver, meanwhile, shrugged off the potentially devastating incident. "It was still stuck on my car when I came in. It didn't look great," he told Sky Sports. "I also feel sorry for the mechanic having to remove it."

Birds being collateral damage isn't exactly an uncommon occurrence in these high-speed events. Legendary NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt famously hit a seagull during the 1991 Daytona 500, a venue notable for flying animals appearing during races. Three decades later, in February 2021, NASCAR driver Austin Cindric similarly hit a small bird during the Daytona 300 race at the iconic racetrack.

Looks like high-speed racing isn't just dangerous for the drivers.