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Championship Summary

With a 1–2 finish in Australia, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg of Mercedes ensured Mercedes the top spot in the Constructor's championship, where they would remain for the entirity of the season. A margin of victory over the next closest competitor, the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel, along with the rebranded Manor Marussia team being unable to make it to the grid, controversy arose over the competitiveness of the sport. Among the most vocal was Red Bull team advisor Helmut Marko and engine supplier Renault, with both issuing threats to leave the sport if Formula One didn't revise the rules to make development more affordable and bring competitiveness back to the sport. As Mercedes opened their gap in the Constructor's championship standings through the first nine rounds to 160 points over Ferrari, with only one victory going to a non-Mercedes driver in that time (Sebastian Vettel won in Malaysia), Mercedes own team boss Toto Wolff later stated that Formula One was "more fun as underdogs."

Hamilton led the Driver's championship over the course of the entire season as well, holding a lead as little as three points over Vettel after round two in Malaysia, and as large as 27 points over teammate Rosberg after round four in Bahrain. With his ninth and final victory of the season in the penultimate race in Brazil, Hamilton secured his third World Driver's Championship of his career, matching marks set by Jack Brabham, Sir Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet, and Ayrton Senna. In matching his career best five victories in a season, Rosberg finished second in the standings for the second consecutive year. Vettel had held third for much of the season, even being as high as second in the earlier stages, but team errors in Canada, Austria, and Italy cost him valuable points, handing third place over to Valteri Bottas of Williams, who highlighted his season by winning the first race of his career in Mexico.

For the second consecutive season, Mercedes clinched the World Constructor's Championship in Russia with a 1–3 finish led by Rosberg. It is the team's second straight title, and second overall. Both drivers lauded the team's performance, stating that they "couldn't have done it without the best car in the field," while team members alike expressed praise to their drivers, stating the team had it easy "thanks to the two best drivers today." Meanwhile, due to Ferrari's early success and late season hiccups, combined with Williams's surge towards the end of the season, second place resulted in a tie between both teams. The tiebreaker went to Ferrari due to Vettel's three victories in Malaysia, Singapore, and Japan, to Bottas's lone victory in Mexico.