A supreme Lewis Hamilton made history in Sochi on Sunday when he won the inaugural Russian Grand Prix for his fourth straight victory to extend his lead in the F1 title race and secure Mercedes a maiden constructors' title. Starting from his 38th pole position, the 29-year-old Briton cruised to the 31st success of his career to draw level with fellow-Englishman Nigel Mansell in the record books.
He took the chequered flag 13.657 seconds ahead of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg. Hamilton's win lifted him 17 points clear of Rosberg, who produced a stirring recovery drive from the back of the field after making a mistake that required an opening lap pit stop.
Hamilton now has 291 points to Rosberg's 274 with three races remaining.
"Congratulations to the team on the constructors' championship - history in the making," said Hamilton before he met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who arrived at the circuit with 14 laps remaining to preside over the podium ceremony.
Just a week after Jules Bianchi's life-threatening accident in the storm-hit Japanese Grand Prix, where the French driver suffered severe head injuries, the race was preceded by tributes to support his fight for life in hospital in Yokkaichi.
Hamilton's win was his ninth this year and the result delivered Mercedes' their ninth one-two of the season as they ended Red Bull's four-year dominance of the teams' crown. They will now aim to beat McLaren's record of 10 wins set in 1988.
"We don't forget about Jules, this is still overshadowing everything we do," said Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff.
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