Formula One star Lewis Hamilton said mysterious mid-race "thud" fixed his steering problems at the Japanese Grand Prix and kept his faint title hopes alive.
The Briton, who will quit McLaren for Mercedes next season, said his car seemed to be under-steering badly before an
unexpected "thud on the rear" solved the problem and allowed him to put in a spell of competitive laps.
Hamilton finished fifth and with five races to go, lies fourth in the standings and 44 points adrift of the championship leader, Fernando Alonso.
"I struggled for the first 20-odd laps. I don't know if it was before the first stop or after, but through turn 14 I felt this thud on the rear and all of a sudden the car starting turning fantastically.
All atwitter
Hamilton triggered a fresh Twitter storm on Monday by wrongly accusing Formula One team mate and compatriot Jenson Button of disrespect by 'unfollowing' him on the social media site.
Hamilton, was beaten by Button in Sunday's Japanese GP.
The two drivers, both world champions, have seemed to get on well at McLaren where their relationship has been presented as generally harmonious.
Hamilton, who has taken enthusiastically to Twitter, caused a controversy at the Belgian Grand Prix last month when he sent out confidential qualifying data to nearly a million of his followers.