Lewis Hamilton has lifted the lid on a painful secret that followed him into his first season as a Ferrari driver, revealing that a pre-season testing crash left him battling a neck injury that affected him for months.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion arrived at Ferrari in 2025 with enormous expectations, but his highly anticipated move from Mercedes quickly became a far more difficult challenge than many predicted.
Hamilton eventually endured the toughest campaign of his remarkable career, finishing sixth in the championship standings, trailing team-mate Charles Leclerc by 86 points and failing to score a podium for the first time in his Formula 1 career.
Now, the Briton has revealed that his struggles began before the season had even officially started.
During a private three-day testing program at Barcelona in January 2025, Hamilton crashed the Ferrari SF-23 on the second day of running. The impact left him with a significant neck problem that limited his preparation and forced him to manage pain throughout the opening months of his Ferrari journey.
“I hit the wall very hard last year in testing,” said Hamilton. “Knocked out one of the discs in my neck, which was into the nerve.
“So, I couldn't do a lot for like nine weeks. I was having chiropractors every day, physically every day I couldn't sleep.
“I had painkillers, I had to get an injection, I did everything I could to try to fix it. So that's what I was basically trying to live with. It's not easy in the position that you're sitting in.”
The revelation adds another layer to what was already a complicated transition for Hamilton, who was adapting to a completely new team, a new car philosophy and a different working environment after more than a decade at Mercedes.
A resurgent Hamilton refuses to look too far ahead
The timing of Hamilton’s revelation comes after a significant turnaround in his fortunes.
After months of frustration, the Ferrari driver finally delivered the moment fans had been waiting for by securing his first victory with the Scuderia in Barcelona — his 31st race weekend with Ferrari.
The breakthrough arrived as Hamilton appeared increasingly comfortable with a car shaped more by his own feedback and with adjustments made around him within the team. His improved form has quickly changed the conversation around his season, with the 41-year-old now firmly back among the leading contenders.
Read also: Bottas suggests key factor in Hamilton’s Ferrari resurgenceHamilton currently sits close to championship leader Kimi Antonelli and ahead of Mercedes rival George Russell, who has described him as a serious threat in the title battle.
Yet despite his resurgence, Hamilton insists he is not allowing championship calculations to distract him.
“I'm just really not thinking about that I'm competing for a championship,” Hamilton said.
Instead, his focus remains on the immediate challenge ahead.
“I'm thinking about arriving and I want to win this weekend - that's my goal,” he added. “That's what I've been working for all week, last week and this week. I've not been having dinners.
“It's head back down with the sacrifices you need to make to make sure that you arrive 100% so you can deliver for these people.”
For Hamilton, the responsibility extends beyond his own ambitions. Driving for Ferrari carries a unique level of expectation, and every decision made inside the cockpit has consequences far beyond the driver himself.
“Especially also knowing how far it reaches, the impact and decisions that I make in the car and what we do here. So those are the things I think about,” he concluded.
After starting his Ferrari adventure carrying both physical pain and the weight of enormous expectations, Hamilton now appears to have finally found his rhythm. The injury may explain part of last year’s struggle, but his current mindset suggests he is far from finished chasing success in red.
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook
Hamilton reveals hidden injury that impacted start of 2025 season F1i.com.
Hence then, the article about hamilton reveals hidden injury that impacted start of 2025 season was published today ( ) and is available on F1 News ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Hamilton reveals hidden injury that impacted start of 2025 season )
Also on site :