Hamilton reveals extent of long-hidden neck injury: 'I couldn't sleep. I was on painkillers'

Following his victory in Barcelona two weekends ago, the seven-time world champion revealed that he had suffered a neck injury in a crash at the same circuit. However, he chose not to go into detail at the time, instead keeping the focus on his first victory with Ferrari.

Speaking to GPBlog among other media in Austria, the Briton revealed that he hit the wall heavily during testing in Barcelona last year, suffering a neck injury after a disc protruded into a nerve. As a result, he was unable to train properly for around nine weeks and underwent daily chiropractic treatment and physiotherapy while struggling to sleep. Hamilton also relied on painkillers and injections as he tried to recover, but admitted he ultimately had to manage the pain, adding that the seating position in a Formula 1 car only made the situation more difficult.

The Brit has reflected on his recent social media exchange with Neymar Jr. after Brazil's World Cup win over Scotland, revealing more about their friendship and the impact of the message they shared. Brazil defeated Scotland 3-0 overnight, with Neymar making his first appearance at this World Cup after recovering from injury. Following the match, the former Barcelona forward posted a series of photos on social media with the caption "Remember who you are" - the same message Hamilton had shared after winning in Barcelona. The seven-time world champion later replied to the post with a simple "Always.".

Speaking to GPBlog among other media in Austria, Hamilton explained that he and Neymar regularly keep in touch and that he values their friendship. He added that they had recently been talking about Neymar's children and said he was pleased to see the Brazilian use his social media platform to spread a positive message.

Hamilton also said that, given the current state of the world, positive messages are more important than ever. Seeing his own words resonate in Brazil and inspire Neymar to share the same sentiment with his millions of followers made him happy, as it showed the message had reached an even wider audience.