Lewis Hamilton Opens Up About Painful Neck Injury That Complicated His First Ferrari Season

Lewis Hamilton has disclosed that he spent much of his debut Formula 1 season with Ferrari battling a painful neck injury, revealing that the problem originated from a heavy testing accident before the championship even began.

The seven-time world champion admitted the injury significantly affected his preparation for the 2025 campaign and continued to trouble him throughout much of the season. Despite the physical setback, Hamilton pushed through the discomfort while adapting to life with Ferrari, although his first year with the Italian team ultimately proved far more difficult than expected.

Speaking ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, Hamilton explained that the injury occurred during Ferrari’s preseason Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) program at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in January 2025.

According to the British driver, the accident happened when he crashed heavily into a barrier during one of the test sessions. The impact caused serious damage to his neck, affecting one of the discs and irritating a nearby nerve.

Hamilton described the injury as one of the most challenging physical issues he has faced during his racing career.

“I hit the wall very hard during testing,” he recalled. “One of the discs in my neck was affected and it pressed against the nerve.”

The injury immediately created problems that extended well beyond the racetrack. Hamilton revealed that everyday activities became difficult, while preparing for the physically demanding Formula 1 season became an even greater challenge.

For approximately nine weeks following the crash, Hamilton said he was unable to complete his normal training routine. Instead, much of his time was devoted to rehabilitation and pain management.

He explained that he underwent daily treatment from chiropractors and physiotherapists in an effort to restore movement and reduce inflammation. Sleeping also became a major issue because the pain persisted throughout the night.

To continue racing, Hamilton relied on several forms of treatment, including pain medication and medical injections intended to reduce discomfort and allow him to compete.

“I was seeing chiropractors every single day,” Hamilton said. “I was working physically every day, but I couldn’t sleep properly because of the pain. I used painkillers, had injections, and tried everything available to get myself back into shape.”

Even sitting inside a Formula 1 cockpit became uncomfortable because drivers maintain a fixed seating position while enduring enormous forces through high-speed corners.

Hamilton admitted that living with the injury throughout the opening stages of the season made every race weekend more difficult than many people realized.

Despite those struggles, Ferrari’s new signing initially appeared to settle into the team quickly. His first major highlight came early in the campaign when he secured pole position for a sprint race before converting that opportunity into victory during the second race weekend of the year.

At the time, many believed Hamilton and Ferrari had immediately become championship contenders.

However, that early momentum gradually disappeared.

As the season progressed, Ferrari encountered performance issues while Hamilton struggled to consistently challenge at the front of the field. His results steadily declined, and the frustrations became increasingly visible over team radio and during post-session interviews.

The difficult campaign reached a low point midway through the year following a disappointing qualifying session in Hungary.

Clearly frustrated with his own performance, Hamilton delivered one of the most memorable comments of the season by describing himself as “useless.” He even suggested Ferrari should consider replacing him, remarks that reflected the emotional toll of an extremely challenging year.

At the time, few people outside the team were aware that Hamilton had also been managing a painful neck injury for much of the season.

The combination of adapting to a completely new team, learning Ferrari’s systems, and coping with ongoing physical discomfort made his first campaign in red considerably more complicated than many observers realized.

Fortunately for Hamilton, the following season has presented a dramatically different picture.

Now appearing fully fit, the 41-year-old has rediscovered the speed and confidence that made him one of Formula 1’s greatest drivers.

His turnaround was highlighted two weeks ago when he claimed victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, securing his first full Grand Prix win since joining Ferrari.

The triumph carried added significance because it ended months of frustration while extending Hamilton’s all-time Formula 1 record to 106 career victories.

The success also demonstrated that Ferrari’s recent development work has begun producing tangible improvements.

Hamilton has looked considerably more comfortable behind the wheel throughout the current campaign and has consistently challenged near the front of the grid.

Heading into the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, he occupies second place in the Drivers’ Championship.

Ironically, the only driver ahead of him is Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, the teenager chosen to replace Hamilton after his departure from the Silver Arrows.

Even with his impressive resurgence and Ferrari introducing another package of engine upgrades for the Austrian race weekend, Hamilton remains cautious about discussing championship ambitions.

During Thursday’s media activities, reporters asked whether his recent victory had changed his outlook regarding the title race.

Hamilton quickly played down those suggestions.

He explained that his focus remains on improving race by race rather than calculating championship scenarios.

“I’m really not thinking about fighting for the championship,” Hamilton said. “My attention is simply on trying to win races and helping the team continue moving forward.”

That measured approach reflects Hamilton’s experience after spending nearly two decades competing at Formula 1’s highest level.

Rather than becoming distracted by points standings, the veteran believes Ferrari must continue building consistent performance before thinking about ending its lengthy championship drought.

The famous Italian team has not celebrated a Drivers’ Championship since Kimi Räikkönen captured the title in 2007, while its most recent Constructors’ Championship came one year later in 2008.

Hamilton hopes his arrival can eventually help restore Ferrari to the top of Formula 1 after nearly two decades without championship success.

His recent victory in Barcelona has certainly increased optimism inside the team, although Hamilton knows sustained competitiveness will ultimately determine whether Ferrari can mount a genuine title challenge over the remainder of the season.

Looking back, Hamilton’s revelation about the neck injury provides additional context for the struggles that defined his first year with Ferrari.

While fans and analysts often focused on disappointing results, few realized the physical obstacles he was attempting to overcome behind the scenes.

Now fully recovered and back in winning form, Hamilton believes the difficult period has made him even more determined to succeed with Ferrari.

With renewed confidence, improved health, and a more competitive car beneath him, the seven-time world champion hopes his victory in Spain marks the beginning of a much stronger chapter in his Ferrari career as he continues pursuing more wins—and potentially another Formula 1 world championship.