Barrichello needed surgery to remove tumour

The former Formula 1 race winner was rushed to hospital in February after suffering a severe headache at home. He was released a few days later but had since had surgery to remove the benign tumour.

Speaking in a television interview on Brazilian programme "Conversa com Bial", Barrichello showed off a large scar on the left side of his neck where doctors had operated.

"After everything that happened, I had a bunch of check-ups to find out more about my health conditions and they found a small tumour on my neck, which they removed after a race I did in Interlagos.

“I had it removed because, even though it was a benign tumour, it would've grown and I don't want to have that kind of discomfort in the car."

He also explained that doctors had told him he was incredibly lucky not to suffer any long-term ill effects – or worse - from his earlier visit to hospital.

"A friend of ours who's a doctor saw that I was in bad shape and I'm very lucky,” explained Barrichello. “The vein that opened due to a bad formation, regenerated itself with its own blood in two hours.

“When I arrived at the hospital, they put in a canular and saw the vein had closed itself. When I left the hospital, they told me only 14 per cent of people get out of this situation like I did.

"Many endure serious after affects or die.”

Talking about the incident that took him to hospital in the first place, Barrichello said: “I was at home having a shower and suddenly I felt a pain in my head.

“From zero to 10 - I'd say it was an eight or nine headache, so strong! I lay on the floor, I didn't want to wake anybody up. But it was hurting so badly.

“I walked back into my bedroom and woke up Silvana (his wife). I started feeling sick and realized this was a hospital situation."

Interview translation by Julia Piquet