Isack Hadjar was left astonished by Lewis Hamilton following the battery problem during the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Hadjar qualified ahead of both Mercedes drivers on Saturday and began the race on the superior intermediate tyre. This strategy allowed him to capitalize on the drivers who struggled on slicks, including both Ferraris. A podium was within reach, but his straight-line speed faltered as his battery failed to provide the needed power to fend off the relentless Ferraris.

"[Hamilton] was 15 seconds behind me, and then in just a few laps, he was right behind me," the French-Algerian explained. "So, throughout the weekend, I was definitely quicker... We need to resolve the issue before Singapore and perform better."

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

When Williams' Alex Albon stalled at Turn 2 due to a reported gearbox problem, Hadjar took the opportunity to pit under the virtual safety car. The safety car was deployed with him in fourth place, and after George Russell's power unit troubles, he advanced to third. However, it wasn't long before Hamilton's Ferrari was on his tail, overtaking him as they approached Turn 1. Leclerc followed suit a lap later, pushing Hadjar further from the podium he anticipated.

"It was just the first two laps after the restart; I don't understand why we were so low on battery. Then it stabilized and I was quick again. Otherwise, I would have maintained third. But it was just the lack of grip. Even behind the safety car, I felt like I had no grip, making the restart challenging for me, so it seemed like I was always on the same tyres. I returned on the wrong compound."

Red Bull has some work to do ahead of Singapore, and Hadjar seems determined to ensure it gets accomplished.