Lewis Hamilton demands explanation from Ferrari after seeing Charles Leclerc advantage in Japan

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Lewis Hamilton wanted to know how Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc caught him on the straights at the Japanese Grand Prix. Hamilton started and finished sixth in an eventful but frustrating race.

Hamilton only gained one position at the start – a mediocre lap one by 2026 Ferrari standards – as polesitter Kimi Antonelli fell down the order. Antonelli quickly re-passed the seven-time world champion.

Hamilton then reported that he was losing ground to the top five, but a gamble to extend his first stint appeared to pay off as a safety car allowed him a cheap stop.

The 41-year-old stormed past George Russell at the restart, putting him on course for back-to-back podiums. But Hamilton would drop back to P6 by the end of the race as Leclerc, Russell and Lando Norris all came through.

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Lewis Hamilton’s repeated power complaints at Japanese Grand Prix

Hamilton asked his team for a higher power mode on the pit straight in the early laps, which set the tone for his race. He complained three times that he was losing ground through the straight-line zones, where active aero is enabled.

When Leclerc, who had capitalised on Russell’s excessive energy consumption to take fourth, closed in, Hamilton asked engineer Carlo Santi: “Charles just [caught up] down the back straight, why?”

• READ MORE: Max Verstappen has already explained why Lewis Hamilton is wrong about the 2026 F1 regulations

As he lost two more places, Hamilton sounded powerless. Messages included ‘I just have less deployment’, ‘I really need some power’ and, in reference to Norris, ‘ahh, he’s got so much power man’.

There was silence from Hamilton on the radio after the chequered flag. P6 is his worst result of the season so far.

Jenson Button spots ‘tiny mistake’ from Lewis Hamilton in Charles Leclerc battle

While Hamilton suggested that the Ferrari power unit was to blame for his struggles, former teammate Jenson Button suspects that he may have had a slight error.

Leclerc made a dramatic move around the outside of Hamilton at turn one on lap 42. There was slight contact between the two in their latest dramatic battle.

• READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton makes Nico Rosberg comparison as he reflects on epic battle with Charles Leclerc

Based on the replay, Button thinks that Hamilton spent too much time harvesting energy. Leclerc, who already had overtake mode, may have gained additional speed.

“I think Lewis might have made a tiny mistake there,” said Button. “When you look at the flashing lights of his car, they were flashing for a lot longer, so he took longer to cancel the de-rate of the power and that gave Charles a bit more of an advantage.”

Leclerc held off Russell for third place, ensuring Ferrari’s 100% podium record in 2026 continued.