Lewis Hamilton has clinched world titles thanks to his speed, skill, and nerves of steel. Now at 40, he's facing a different kind of challenge: Father Time, muscle stiffness, and the wear and tear that come with two decades in Formula 1.

His secret weapon? Discipline. And, most painfully, ice.

As he begins his 20th F1 season—his second with Ferrari—the seven-time world champ speaks openly about how his physical routine has changed as he's gotten older, moving from fitness that came naturally to a far more planned approach.

The goal is simple: remain competitive in a sport that's tough on those past their prime.

"It's changed, developed, and grown," Hamilton told Men's Health.

Once optional things are now must-dos. What he once skipped is now scheduled. And the thing that hurts the most is what he refuses to give up.

Morning Runs and Cold Plunges

Hamilton doesn't train like a carefree twenty-something anymore. Now, every morning starts the same way—and it's not with a stopwatch.

I still love to run—I ran this morning. I go for runs that vary from six to eight miles. Then I take an ice bath. But before any of that, stretching is the first thing I do when I get out of bed.

The order is important. Stretch first. Run next. Freeze later. It's a routine that helps keep his muscles loose, his weight in check, and recovery a priority—something Hamilton admits he used to ignore.

When his schedule allows, his afternoons are less about intense workouts and more about control.

In the afternoon, I might do a HIIT workout, but I can't lift too many weights because I get too heavy. So it's mostly Pilates and yoga.

It's very different from his early years, when natural fitness and youth carried him. Now, lasting power is carefully built.

Even with a schedule that goes beyond racing—fashion, music, advocacy—Hamilton insists on certain training boundaries. When asked what he refuses to skip, his answer was quick.

Ice baths. Recovery is something I didn't focus on much in the past. "I would just do the workout and then go on with my day," he said.

So stretching and ice baths—those are the two things that I make myself do.

Make is the right word. He doesn't enjoy ice baths; he just deals with them. But Hamilton thinks the discomfort is the point.

Training the Mind, Too

For Hamilton, physical preparation easily turns into mental strength – a key advantage during a long 24-race season.

When I was younger, I think training was really my therapy—and in some ways it still is, especially the runs, Hamilton said. That's when I do most of my thinking.

Over time, he has added to his mental tools.

Adding things like yoga, like breathwork. Breathwork has probably been the hardest to get into because it takes time. Then meditation.

Even the ice bath helps here—not just as recovery, but as practice.

I think the ice bath helps with that, too, because you have to learn to breathe and fight the urge to give up and get out. Those things really help me stay positive throughout the year.

In a sport focused on lap times and data, Hamilton's routine offers a unique look at how to be the best.

At 40, and now with Ferrari, the seven-time world champion is still looking for small improvements—one stretch, one breath, one cold plunge at a time.

Oscar Piastri came heartbreakingly close to winning the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship with McLaren, but he’s not dwelling on it. Instead, he’s looking forward, still upbeat about what’s ahead with the team.

Right from the start, Piastri looked like a real contender. He kept his cool, delivered steady results, and at times outshone his teammate, Lando Norris.

Things looked especially good after the summer break. Norris ran into trouble at the Dutch Grand Prix and didn’t finish, which left Piastri 34 points ahead of him and 104 clear of Max Verstappen in the standings.

But Zandvoort turned out to be Piastri’s last victory of the season. After that, his shot at becoming the first Australian F1 champion since 1980 started to slip away.

His retirement in Baku marked the first real mistake of his campaign, and it all started to unravel from there. Just three races later, Norris jumped into the championship lead in Mexico and never let it go, clinching his first title.

By the time they reached Abu Dhabi, Piastri had dropped to third overall—ending up 13 points behind Norris and 11 behind Verstappen.

It stung, no question. Piastri had come so close to living his F1 dream, but he didn’t let it crush him. Instead, he took it on the chin and turned his attention to 2026.

Talking to Australia’s 7Sport, he summed up the season as a “rollercoaster.”

“Yeah, it definitely was. Looking back, I’m really proud of what I achieved,” he said. “And for the team to have such a strong car and such a strong season—that’s a huge success.”

McLaren actually pulled off a rare double, winning both the Constructors’ Championship and seeing Norris grab the Drivers’ title.

For Piastri, still only three seasons into his F1 career, 2025 was all about growing and learning.

“There were a few bumps, a few hurdles, and a lot of lessons for the future,” he said.

With the big rule changes coming in 2026 and McLaren looking strong, Piastri feels like he’s in a good spot.

“To have the year we had, and to know there’s still more progress to come, it’s a nice place to be,” he said. And you get the sense he really means it.