Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton lifts the trophy in the air as he celebrates after winning the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday in Suzuka, Japan. Photo: AFP

Lewis Hamilton won the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday to equal the late Ayrton Senna's tally of 41 Formula One victories and move 48 points clear of Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg with five races remaining.

On a sunny afternoon at Suzuka, in marked contrast to the dark and tragic 2014 race that he also won, the double world champion seized the lead from pole-sitter Rosberg at the start and ­never looked back.

The win was the Briton's eighth of the season, with Rosberg anchoring the eighth one-two finish for dominant Mercedes as the champions ­returned to form after a mysterious dip in ­Singapore a week ago.

Rosberg took the checkered flag 18.9 seconds behind Hamilton with Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, the winner in Singapore, finishing third in an exact repeat of last year's top three at Suzuka.

Hamilton now has 277 points to Rosberg's 229 with Vettel dropping back on 218 but refusing to give up his championship hopes until mathematically ruled out.

Mercedes, who have now won 11 of 14 races, moved a step closer to retaining their constructors' title with 506 points to Ferrari's 337.

If last year's post-race ceremonies were muted in the aftermath of the late Jules Bianchi's horrific and ultimately fatal accident, only a brief microphone failure prevented Hamilton from expressing his joy on the podium this time.

"I am so happy right now," he said, before Vettel poured champagne over his rival's head. "The team did a fantastic job this weekend, it's great to be back up here as a team with a one-two."

Rosberg had gone into the first two corners side by side with Hamilton but was forced wide to avoid a collision and dropped to fourth as Hamilton made his getaway.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was fourth with fellow Finn Valtteri Bottas fifth for Williams.

Germany's Nico Hulkenberg was sixth for Force India, with the Lotus duo of Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado seventh and eighth in a boost for the financially troubled team.

Dutch hotshot Max Verstappen, who turns 18 this week, completed his last race as a 17-year-old in the points, taking ninth place for Toro Rosso ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz.