Sepang: A fuming Lewis Hamilton was left to wonder here Sunday whether ‘the man above or a higher power’ was conspiring to deny him a fourth Formula One title after a blown engine forced him to retire while leading at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
The Briton’s hopes of leapfrogging fellow Mercedes driver and championship leader Nico Rosberg in the standings were hit when his engine burst into flames with 16 laps remaining.
Hamilton’s misfortune not only allowed the German to finish third in the race but also to open up a 23-point lead in the standings.
“Yeah, it feels right now that the man above or a higher power is intervening a little bit,” Hamilton stated while talking to ‘BBC Sports’, Monday. “(I will) continue to fight more, for sure but if at the end of the year the higher power does not want me to win… then I will have to accept that.”
Sunday’s engine failure was the latest in a spate of reliability issues that have plagued Hamilton’s 2016 campaign. Visibly upset, Hamilton also hit out at his own team for his predicament.
“Someone doesn’t want me to win this year. My question is to Mercedes. We have so many engines made but mine are the only ones failing this year,” snapped. “Someone needs to give me some answers because this is not acceptable. We are fighting for the championship and only my engines are failing. It does not sit right with me.”
Mercedes technical head Paddy Lowe was quick to defend the team. “This can be a very harsh sport but no failure is planned,” Lowe told television reporters.
With five races remaining, Hamilton is fast running out of time to overhaul his rival, especially as Rosberg will be able to hold on to the lead even if he finishes second behind Hamilton in the next three races.
“All I can do is do what I’ve done this weekend,” said Hamilton, who was dominant in Malaysia until technology failed him. “I still have faith and hope… Don’t forget, I’m still the World Champion, so I’ll be alright.”
Reuters
