Japanese Grand Prix 2016: Mercedes clinch constructor's championship as Nico Rosberg wins in Suzuka

Mercedes won their third constructors' championship in a row after Nico Rosberg coasted to a dominant victory at the Japanese Grand Prix. Rosberg, 31, led from pole position to the chequered flag, finishing 4.9 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Rosberg's teammate Lewis Hamilton recovered to finish third after a poor start had left him in eighth place by the first corner in Suzuka. The result widened Rosberg's lead at the top of the drivers' championship to 33 points from Hamilton, with four races left.

The German has won nine races this season and can mathematically secure his first ever drivers' title without winning any of the remaining races in the calendar.

The 1-3 podium finish also handed Mercedes the constructors' title, with the German team holding an unassailable 208-point lead over Red Bull.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff paid tribute to both drivers and the rest of the team following the achievement.

"We are almost 1500 people, and they've been almost faultless in these three years – it's just great to work with them," he told Formula1.com.

"The drivers are great – the best in the world – and they also push each other to new levels. If one has a bad day they are pushed up by the other one as they set the benchmark.

"We have seen these [kind of] weekends with both drivers. Here Nico was in a class of his own. In the past we have had these waves and now it seems to change each race weekend."

Meanwhile, Mercedes lodged a protest against Verstappen for driving in a "dangerous manner" in the penultimate lap as he fought to hold on to second place from Hamilton.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen finished fourth and fifth, respectively, with Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull coming in at sixth.