Fresh from securing his first Formula 1 victory as a Ferrari driver, Lewis Hamilton arrived at the Austrian Grand Prix in high spirits. During Thursday’s media session, the seven-time world champion not only reflected on Ferrari’s recent progress but also revealed, for the first time, the extent of a serious neck injury he suffered during testing in Barcelona in early 2025.
Lewis Hamilton reveals hidden injury from 2025 Barcelona test
Success is often the perfect fuel for a positive mood, and Lewis Hamilton looked relaxed as he greeted journalists on Thursday with a smile and an Italian “Ciao, tutto bene?” before taking his seat.
Much of the discussion naturally focused on his maiden Ferrari victory, the outlook for the remainder of the season and an untold story from the difficult months he experienced during the early stages of his Ferrari journey.
Lewis Hamilton revealed that the heavy crash he suffered during Ferrari’s Barcelona test at the end of January 2025 caused a cervical disc injury that compressed a nerve, leaving him in severe pain for more than two months: “This is something personal, but during last year’s test I hit the barriers very heavily. I injured a cervical disc, which ended up compressing a nerve. For about nine weeks I could hardly do anything at all.”
The seven-time world champion explained that, despite the injury, he never completely stopped working as he fought through an extensive rehabilitation program.
“Every day I was seeing a chiropractor, I was doing physiotherapy every single day, and I couldn’t sleep. I took painkillers, I had an injection, and I did everything possible to solve the problem. In the end, I simply had to learn to live with the pain. And it’s not easy, especially in the position we’re sitting in inside the car.”
Back to full fitness and encouraged by Ferrari’s progress
Fortunately, that injury is now behind him. Hamilton says he has fully recovered physically and is looking ahead with renewed optimism following Ferrari’s breakthrough victory in Barcelona.
“I’m incredibly proud of all the work the team is doing. Every single person in this team is contributing something. Everyone is raising their level and pushing harder than ever. We’re working together in a much more united and cohesive way than before, with excellent leadership from Fred. I’m taking everything one day at a time. It’s great to see the developments we asked for finally arriving. We had them in Barcelona and we have more this weekend. Everyone has worked incredibly hard to make another step forward with the engine as well. It’s not the final step yet, but it’s still progress. And that’s exactly how we have to keep moving forward—one step at a time.”
Hamilton remains cautious about the championship fight
Despite his growing confidence, Lewis Hamilton is refusing to look too far ahead in the title race.
“I’m not thinking about the championship. I’m simply focused on approaching every race and executing everything the way we did at the last Grand Prix. The pit stops, the strategy—everything was perfectly synchronized. The most important thing is being able to repeat that level of execution every single weekend, not thinking about what might happen fifteen races from now.”
A special welcome back at Maranello
Lewis Hamilton also spoke about the emotional reception he received at Maranello in the days following his long-awaited first Ferrari victory.
“I was at Maranello on Thursday and Friday. We had several events scheduled, and as soon as I landed at the airport I could already feel how important that victory was. You could see it from the police officer, from the immigration staff—they were the first Italian people I met, and you could tell how happy they were. Then, when I arrived at the factory, it was obvious that everyone was delighted.”
“It was a truly special moment. I think there has always been great energy within the team, but this time it was on another level. As Fred also said, though, now we need to regain our focus, get back to our desks and do our jobs, turning all that positive energy into concrete results. I believe that’s exactly what everyone is trying to do.”
Keeping his focus firmly on Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton also revealed how he spent the days following his first Ferrari triumph away from the racetrack.
“A lot of people ask me what I do after a victory. When I got home, I spent hours sitting on the sofa reposting all the amazing stories, videos and messages I had received. It was a really special moment. As for everything else, I don’t pay much attention to what’s being written. The best part is that we finally have a car that incorporates some of the characteristics I had been asking for.”
“We’re all working in the same direction, and I absolutely love driving it. The car finally has the qualities I wanted, and now I’m starting to really make the most of them. That’s the best feeling. I’m not going out for dinner, I’m keeping my head down, and I’m making every sacrifice necessary to reach 100% and give my absolute best for these people. I’m also fully aware of the huge impact that the decisions I make inside the car—and everything we do here—can have.”
Leave a Reply