Lewis Hamilton did not hide his frustration after a complicated Japanese Grand Prix. Lacking power, the Briton now demands clear answers from Ferrari.
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Arriving in Japan with the ambition to confirm his podium finish in China, Lewis Hamilton hoped to follow up with another solid performance. Starting from sixth position on the grid, the Ferrari driver had nevertheless managed an encouraging start to the race on the Suzuka track.
Circumstances even seemed to play in his favor when a safety car intervened after the violent accident of Oliver Bearman mid-race. Taking advantage of this neutralization, Hamilton made his pit stop at the ideal time, coming out in fourth position, well-placed to aim for the podium.
At the restart, the Briton quickly went on the attack, overtaking George Russell to take third place. At that moment, everything suggested that another top 3 finish was within his reach.
An incomprehensible loss of power
But the situation progressively deteriorated. Unable to maintain the pace, Hamilton saw his performance drop worryingly, eventually losing several positions at the end of the race.
Lacking speed, he was eventually overtaken by Russell and then by Lando Norris, crossing the finish line in sixth place, exactly his starting position. A frustrating result that contrasts sharply with his initial ambitions.
After the race, the seven-time world champion did not mince his words: “It was frankly terrible. I was P3 and I dropped back.” Before insisting on the major problem encountered: “We need to understand where this loss of power came from. I lacked it the whole race, especially in the second stint.”
Instructions followed… but ineffective
Hamilton was keen to point out that he had scrupulously followed his team’s instructions, particularly regarding energy management. However, this was not enough to correct the problem.
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“I was flat out, I was managing as I was asked, but for some unknown reason, I was lacking power,” he explained, visibly perplexed by this unusual situation.
This lack of performance, felt from the first laps, prevented him from competing with his direct rivals. An anomaly that raises questions about the actual state of the Ferrari car.
Ferrari under pressure, Hamilton waits for answers
Faced with this underperformance, Hamilton is now calling on his team to react quickly. The objective is clear: identify whether this power deficit stems from a mechanical problem or a poor setup.
“We need to check if there is something wrong with the car,” he insisted, while consoling himself with the points scored nonetheless.
After three rounds, Hamilton currently occupies fourth place in the championship with 41 points, already a good distance from the leader Kimi Antonelli. A gap that could quickly become problematic if Ferrari fails to correct its shortcomings.
One thing is certain: at this stage of the season, Lewis Hamilton is not only in search of results… but above all of answers.
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