Japanese Grand Prix: Valtteri Bottas wins to clinch Formula One team title

Mercedes were the clear winners on F1's super Sunday in Suzuka, clinching the constructors' title and ensuring that one of their drivers will take the individual crown.

Valtteri Bottas won the Japanese Grand Prix from polesitter Sebastian Vettel with teammate Lewis Hamilton third. Vettel, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen are no longer in the title reckoning.

Hamilton leads his Finnish teammate by a hefty 64 points with four races left and will have his first chance to clinch a sixth world title in the next event in Mexico on October 27.

Ferrari had looked the team to beat in the first half of the day. Qualifying was held on the morning of race day after the Saturday schedule was cancelled due to Typhoon Hagibis.

Vettel took pole with his Ferrari teammate Leclerc second, but Bottas swept past on the first lap and the Monegasque youngster damaged his car in a collision with Max Verstappen that ended the Red Bull driver's day.

Leclerc crossed the line sixth but was later demoted to seventh after being handed time penalties for the incident with Verstappen and failing to stop when his car was damaged.

He may yet get the place back as Daniel Ricciardo was promoted to sixth and Racing Point have lodged a technical objection to the Renault cars.

Hamilton is 7-4 favourite with Coral and Ladbrokes for the Mexico race with Leclerc 9-4, Vettel and Verstappen 7-2 shots and Bottas 15-2.

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