Hamilton Reveals Pre-Season Neck Injury Derailed 2025 Ferrari Campaign

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that a serious neck injury suffered during a pre-season testing crash ahead of his 2025 Ferrari debut plagued him throughout what became his worst Formula 1 season. The seven-time world champion disclosed that he knocked out a cervical disc into a nerve after hitting the wall hard while driving the SF-23 in Barcelona, forcing him through nine weeks of intensive treatment just to compete. He made the admission following his long-awaited maiden Ferrari victory in Spain, a win that has suddenly vaulted him back into the thick of the 2026 championship fight.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's 2025 campaign was statistically his worst in 19 years, and this injury revelation provides crucial context for his struggles during his first season at Maranello. It underscores how physical setbacks can mask a driver's true ability during a major team transition, while also making his current resurgence all the more remarkable as he mounts a credible bid for an eighth world title.

The details:

• Hamilton crashed during a private three-day test at Barcelona in January 2025, dislodging a disc in his neck that compressed a nerve and left him unable to sleep for weeks.
• He underwent daily chiropractic sessions, relied on painkillers, and received injections while battling through the cockpit demands of his first Ferrari season.
• The Briton finished sixth in the 2025 standings, a distant 86 points behind teammate Charles Leclerc, and suffered the first podium-less campaign of his entire career.
• Now in 2026, Hamilton credits a car built with his direct input and strategic changes to his engineering crew for the dramatic turnaround that delivered his first Ferrari win on the 31st attempt.
• He currently sits second in the championship, 41 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli and nine clear of third-placed George Russell, who has publicly labeled him a "big threat."

What's next:

Hamilton heads to this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix insisting he remains focused on individual victories rather than the overall standings. With Ferrari showing genuine competitiveness and his physical issues finally behind him, the 41-year-old will look to sustain his momentum and continue closing the gap to Antonelli at the front.