Lewis Hamilton needs to find some Zen-like mind control in Japan this weekend after a cruel engine fire left the world champion fuming in Malaysia.

Hamilton angrily demanded an explanation from his Mercedes team after his hopes of halting Nico Rosberg’s surging momentum went up in smoke last Sunday, allowing Daniel Ricciardo to lead Red Bull’s first one-two in nearly three years.

Rosberg has a 23-point advantage in the title standings with five races remaining.

Hamilton has only a matter of days to dust himself down in a quick turnaround before Japan, but he can seek solace in the fact he has won in Japan three times and will be chasing a hat-trick of wins — and the 50th of his F1 career — in Suzuka on Sunday. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff called Hamilton’s engine trouble “a freaky coincidence” and promised to fix the gremlins.

“Our guys will get to the bottom of what happened and learn from it,” he said. “There is no rational explanation or pattern in these failures. We pick ourselves up, brush the dust off and look ahead to the next race.”

Hamilton later composed himself. “Last weekend was a massive disappointment,” he said Wednesday. “But there’s no use dwelling on these things — that’s just negative energy.

“I will find strength from within to fight back over these next five race weekends.”

Ricciardo will be looking to build on his first victory in two years, insisting the Red Bulls can pose a threat in what is forecast to be a wet race in Japan.