Lewis Hamilton’s comeback to the winner’s circle has been accompanied by the unveiling of a painful chapter that he kept under wraps for over a year. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion revealed that he endured a serious neck injury after a “very hard” crash during a private Ferrari test at the Circuit de Catalunya back in January 2025. Hamilton shared that the impact caused a disc in his neck to shift, pressing against a nerve and leaving him in agony for weeks.
He recounted ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, “I couldn’t do much for about nine weeks. I was seeing chiropractors every day, doing physio every day… I couldn’t even sleep.”
At 41, the British driver explained that painkillers and injections became a regular part of his life as he worked to recover while gearing up for his first season with Ferrari.
Hamilton opted not to delve into how much the injury impacted his challenging debut season with Ferrari, which ended without a single podium finish, a first in his illustrious Formula 1 career. But things have taken a turn in 2026. Ferrari has emerged as Mercedes’ closest competitor, and Hamilton has found his rhythm again, clinching victory in Barcelona and moving up to second place in the drivers’ standings with 115 points, just 41 behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Hamilton recapitulated his thoughts in those final laps in Barcelona, saying he kept his fingers crossed on one hand given the sheer number of DNFs. He said, “I’ve had gate-box failures, I’ve had engine failures, I’ve had hydraulics, I’ve had battery, brake failure, all the things that can happen.”
Ferrari Adds New Firepower as Lewis Hamilton Chases Glory
Ferrari is rolling into the Austrian Grand Prix with a boost of fresh energy and a new technical update. After unveiling a significant aerodynamic package in Barcelona, the team has now introduced an upgraded power unit at Spielberg, thanks to Formula 1’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system.
Enrico Gualtieri, Ferrari’s power unit chief, mentioned that this latest package isn’t meant to completely shake up the competitive landscape in just one weekend. Instead, it’s part of the team’s ongoing development strategy. Ferrari emphasizes that this upgrade showcases their relentless efforts to enhance performance and swiftly translate improvements from the factory to the racetrack. The timing couldn’t be better. Lewis Hamilton’s win in Spain put an end to Mercedes’ perfect start to the 2026 season and marked Ferrari’s first Grand Prix victory since the regulation changes. Currently, the team is in second place in the constructors’ championship with 190 points, while Mercedes is leading with 262.
Despite Ferrari’s advancements, Hamilton has called for a bit of caution. He stated that his focus is on taking it one race at a time rather than getting ahead of himself with championship thoughts. He commended the entire team for their improved collaboration under team principal Fred Vasseur and acknowledged that Ferrari’s consistent upgrades have played a crucial role in narrowing the gap.
