Lewis Hamilton says he wants answers from Mercedes after engine failure cost him victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix and severely dented his title hopes.
The failure was the latest in a series for Hamilton, who is 23 points behind team-mate Nico Rosberg with five races to go and 125 points still available.
“We have so many engines for eight drivers and mine are the only ones failing,” said the Briton.
“Someone has to give me some answers because it is just not acceptable.”
Mercedes F1, Force India, Williams F1 and Manor Racing
Daniel Ricciardo beat Max Verstappen in a Red Bull one-two in a gripping race.
Hamilton said: “To be fighting for the championship and only my engines are failing just doesn’t sit right with me.
“There have been many decisive races but this is definitely one of those. Something or someone doesn’t want me to win this year but I won’t give up. I will keep pushing.”
Asked later to clarify what he meant by “someone”, Hamilton said: “A higher power. It feels right now as if the man above or a higher power is intervening a little bit. But I feel I have been blessed with so many opportunities. So I have to be grateful for those. While this does not feel great, I have to remain grateful.”
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said: “It’s clear he is super-frustrated. He has been really unfortunate this year. He is losing many points but the championship is not over yet.
“I am so gutted for Lewis. He was in control of that race. Not good.”
Hamilton dropped 43 points behind Rosberg after the first four races, in large part because of two identical engine failures in qualifying in consecutive races in China and Russia that forced him to start down the grid.
Hamilton fought back with six wins in the next seven races to take a 19-point lead into the summer break.