MERCEDES will head for Japan with more questions than answers despite Lewis Hamilton extending his lead at the top of the Formula One drivers’ championship standings with second place at yesterday’s Malaysian Grand Prix.

Hamilton, who had professed surprise when he took pole position for the Sepang race, could not live with the race pace of Max Verstappen, who took the second victory of his career for Red Bull the day after his 20th birthday.

But with main title rival Sebastian Vettel starting last after engine trouble on Saturday, Hamilton was able to open up a 34-point lead over the German, who finished fourth in his Ferrari, behind Daniel Ricciardo in the other Red Bull.

Both Red Bull and Ferrari were quicker than Mercedes for much of the weekend and Hamilton admits there is work to be done on an inconsistent car before next weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. “I don’t know what I’m able to say and not say as I don’t want everyone knowing all of the problems we have,” he said. “I think it is unknown at the moment. We definitely have work to do, that is for sure. It was the best I could really do. There are definitely positives in terms of the actual result we got. It was a bit fortunate, a bit lucin ky for us.”

Hamilton had post-race discussions with team-mate Valtteri Bottas and Mercedes head of motorsport Toto Wolff and added: “I feel positive, the debrief was one of the best debriefs we have had. It is often the case that when you have a win there is not a lot to say and everyone is riding on positives.

“When you have a difficult day, when the shit really hits the fan, that is when there are more questions and you go into more detail.

“There is stuff you don’t even know about that has been happening through the weekend that is not acceptable for this great team and we all know that and need to work on those areas.”

Having started the weekend with such promise, this was another grand prix to forget for Ferrari. Kimi Raikkonen had qualified second with Vettel sidelined but he could not even make the start as a battery issue meant he was left in the garage.

Vettel fought valiantly from the back to take fourth, but his weekend ended in farce as he was involved in a collision with the Williams of Lance Stroll on the slow-down lap, which left his Ferrari with suspension damage.

Verstappen has been strong in qualifying all season but this was just his second podium of 2017. He put the win down to a brave overtake on race-leader Hamilton at the start of lap four. “I know that Lewis has more to lose because he is fighting for the championship so maybe I took an extra risk but I think that was one of my only chances,” he said.

“Once I got past Lewis I could focus on my pace and look after my tyres. I think that is the first time I have had that in my career.”

As Verstappen eked out a lead, Ricciardo was attacking the second Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas for third place.

A superb battle on lap nine eventually saw the Red Bull get past as Vettel worked his way into the top 10 at the same time.

With cars ahead of him stopping for fresh rubber, Vettel was soon up to sixth as Verstappen continued to extend his gap out at the front.

Hamilton responded by pitting on lap 27 for the soft tyre, with Verstappen covering the undercut with the same move a lap later.

Vettel also pitted having been unable to clear Bottas, who was left behind the German following his own stop With new tyres Vettel set fastest lap after fastest lap, obliterating the race lap record at Sepang which has stood since 2004.

But just as he closed within a second of Ricciardo and a place on the podium his tyres gave up on him.