Lewis Hamilton cruised to victory in the inaugural Russian Grand Prix on Sunday, leading a 1-2 finish for Mercedes that clinched its first Formula One constructors’ title.
Nico Rosberg placed second despite having to pit early in the race but now trails his teammate by 17 points in the drivers’ standings, with three races remaining.
“We’ve had an amazing week, Russia’s been so good to me,” Hamilton said from the podium.
The Briton lost the pole when Rosberg cut a corner and pushed past at the start of the race, but Rosberg braked hard in the second turn and had to come in for a set of new tires. They lasted him until the end as he fought his way from the back of the pack.
The ninth 1-2 for Mercedes this season is one short of McLaren’s 1988 record.
There are 100 points at stake in the last three races of the season in the United States, Brazil and the double-pointer Abu Dhabi.
