Malaysian GP: Lewis Hamilton demands answers from Mercedes after engine fire robs him of race win in Sepang
Fuming Brit hits out - Somebody somewhere doesn't want me to win the the world title this season
LEWIS HAMILTON has demanded answers from his Mercedes team after an engine fire robbed him of victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Hamilton was cruising to a vital win that would have returned him to the top of the world driver's championship only for his car to explode 16 laps from home.
And the triple world champion now wants to know why he is the only Mercedes powered driver who keeps being blighted by engine trouble.
Hamilton said: "Something or someone doesn't want me to win this world championship.
"My question is to Mercedes. Someone need to give me some answers because this is not acceptable.
"I just can't believe that there's eight Mercedes cars and only my engines are the ones that have gone this way. Something just doesn't feel right.
"It was a brand new engine... it is what it is. It's just odd, there's been like 43 engines for Mercedes and only mine have gone.
"Right now I don't even know if my car's going to make it. I know we've got it in us but who knows what the next engines that I have are going to do."
Nico Rosberg's third place behind Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen means the German star now holds a 23 point advantage over his teammate with just five races left.
And Hamilton is now facing a battle to rid the doubts about his own team from his mind as the battle for the world title starts to slip from his grasp.
Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff said: "I have no words, I am so gutted for him and the team."
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Hamilton was quick to backtrack on his quotes and gave an inspirational message on Facebook to defuse the situation.
He said: "Today, the pain is indescribable, but I truly believe God never gives you more than you can handle.
"I want to say a huge thank you to the fans who stood on their feet in the blazing hot sun, or from their sofas at home, watching and supporting me this weekend.
"I'm so grateful. I have 100% faith in my team, they have worked so hard both at the track, and factory, and I want to say a HUGE thank you to them.
"I know we've had all these problems but it's not how we fall, it's how we get up.
"It's not how we are in moments of comfort than define us, but how we are in the face of adversity.
"We are champions and that's how we will move forward. I will, we will, NEVER give up!"