Lewis Hamilton said he suffered a hidden neck injury that impacted his first season driving for Ferrari [1].
The disclosure provides a new explanation for the driver's struggles during a period described as the toughest year of his career. Because Hamilton is one of the most scrutinized athletes in motorsport, any physical impairment can significantly alter the perception of his performance and the car's competitiveness.
Hamilton said the injury occurred in January 2025 [2]. The incident took place during a private pre-season test at Barcelona [3]. While some reports describe the event as a training crash [4], others specify it happened during Ferrari testing [3].
The driver kept the injury secret throughout the 2025 season [1]. He said the pain and physical limitations resulting from the neck injury explain the difficulties he faced during his debut year with the team [5].
Hamilton has since recovered from the injury. The timing of the revelation comes as the racing community evaluates the trajectory of his transition to Ferrari and the technical challenges the team faced during that period.
Throughout the 2025 season, observers questioned whether the struggles were a result of the car's setup or the driver's adaptation to the new team. The admission that a physical injury was a factor suggests that the performance gap may have been partially biological rather than purely mechanical [1].
“The injury explains the struggles and toughest year he experienced in his debut season with Ferrari.”
This revelation shifts the narrative surrounding Hamilton's 2025 performance from a potential lack of synergy with Ferrari's machinery to a matter of physical recovery. In Formula 1, where marginal gains define success, a neck injury is particularly debilitating due to the extreme G-forces experienced during cornering. By disclosing this now, Hamilton provides context for his results while signaling that he is now physically capable of performing at his peak for the current season.
