Lewis Hamilton experiences power loss at Japanese Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton has disclosed that an unexplained loss of power robbed him of a podium finish during the closing stages of Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, reports BritPanorama.
The seven-time world champion, now racing for Ferrari, watched helplessly as his SF-26 was overtaken by teammate Charles Leclerc, former Mercedes colleague George Russell, and McLaren’s Lando Norris in the final laps.
The British driver is seeking urgent explanations from the Scuderia regarding why his machinery appeared significantly underpowered compared to Leclerc’s identical car. Hamilton’s frustrating afternoon leaves him sitting fourth in the drivers’ standings, trailing championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 31 points as the 2026 season continues under its new regulations.
The race at Suzuka featured three constructors battling for supremacy, with McLaren returning to competitiveness following their double failure to start in China. Unlike his impressive getaways in Australia and China, Hamilton managed only a single position gain at the start, benefiting alongside four other drivers from pole-sitter Antonelli’s sluggish launch. The Mercedes youngster swiftly reclaimed ground, however, passing Hamilton at Turn 1 on lap two.
Hamilton found himself running sixth during the opening stint before climbing to second when rivals ahead made their pit stops. A Safety Car deployment following Oliver Bearman’s severe 50G impact handed Hamilton a fortuitous free tyre change, and he emerged third after dispatching Russell at the restart. Hamilton expressed bewilderment at his power struggles throughout the grand prix, stating, “I just struggled with power in the race. Some reason I was just down.”
The 41-year-old demanded clarity on whether his engine was underperforming: “So I need to try and understand why that is the case, whether my engine was down or what. I need to understand that.” Particularly puzzling for Hamilton was the disparity with his teammate: “Somehow, Charles had more power than me today, in the same car. So I need to understand why that is.”
The result marked a stark contrast to Hamilton’s previous outing in China, where he secured his first podium wearing Ferrari red. When asked whether Japan represented his most difficult weekend of the 2026 campaign, Hamilton reflected: “I love being in Japan, I’ve generally enjoyed driving.”
Even fresh rubber failed to resolve his difficulties, leaving the veteran thoroughly perplexed as to the diminished performance of his vehicle. Hamilton now sits 31 points adrift of Antonelli, Formula One’s youngest-ever championship leader.
As the season unfolds, the nuances of teamwork and technology will be as pivotal as ever, revealing layers of complexity beyond the track’s surface.
