Briton Lewis Hamilton won the inaugural Russian Grand Prix on Sunday, with his Mercedes team claiming the constructors’ championship with three races of the season to go.

Hamilton, 29, started from pole and dominated the field to speed to a 31st GP victory, consolidating his lead atop the drivers’ standings from Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, who finished second ahead of Finland’s Valtteri Bottas, in a Williams.

The Mercedes 1-2 meant that the German stable were crowned constructors’ champions with races still to come in the United States, Brazil and Abu Dhabi.

Hamilton’s win lifted him 17 points clear of Rosberg, who made a mistake on the opening lap and, after a pit stop, recovered from the back of the field. Hamilton now has 291 points to Rosberg’s 274 with three races remaining.

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’ 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.

Finn Valtteri Bottas finished third for Williams ahead of Briton Jenson Button and his McLaren team-mate, Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen, with two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Spain finishing sixth for Ferrari after an inspired, but troubled, drive.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo was seventh for Red Bull ahead of departing German team-mate and four-time champion Sebastian Vettel and Finn Kimi Raikkonen, in the second Ferrari. Mexican Sergio Perez was 10th for Sauber.

“Congratulations to the team on the constructors’ championship — history in the making,” said Hamilton afterwards on team radio before he and the other leading finishers met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who arrived at the circuit with 14 laps remaining to preside over the podium ceremony.

“Sorry, guys,” said Rosberg. “That was very unnecessary (his attack on lap one), but thank you for the unbelievable car that allowed me to fight back to take second.”

On a hazy, warm day under blue skies and air temperatures of 22 degrees, the race was preceded by ceremonies dedicated to support for Bianchi, around an on-track message that declared ‘Jules we are all supporting you’.

The tributes were emotional and palpable and many drivers appeared to be moved before they returned to their teams for the start.