Lewis Hamilton has stretched his lead the the top of the Drivers' Championship after he won the rain-affected Japanese Grand Prix, which finished after just 46 laps.

However, the result of the race has been overshadowed by a serious accident involving Jules Bianchi, who remains unconscious in hospital after spinning off at a fast uphill corner on the Suzuka track.

The race got underway behind the safety car at the scheduled time of 7am, but was postponed just two laps later after the event organisers decided that the weather conditions meant that it was unsafe.

25 minutes later, the cars were back on the track behind the safety car, which led the race until the beginning of the 10th lap.

However, almost immediately after the race got underway again, Fernando Alonso rolled to a stop at the side of the track on lap four after his car lost power.

Jenson Button decided to pit at the start of the 10th lap for intermediate tyres, and the risk paid dividends as he moved up to third in the 14th lap.

Hamilton - who began the race behind Nico Rosberg - was determined the sneak past his Mercedes teammate to take the lead, but his race almost ended when he slid off the track in lap 27.

However, the 29-year-old kept his composure and made a superb pass around the outside into turn one as he roared past Rosberg into first place just a lap later.

Button's race was turned upside down following a long pit stop which saw him emerge behind both Red Bulls, but after another pit stop saw him change to wet tyres he rejoined the race in fifth place.

The safety car was back on the track in the 45th lap in the aftermath of Bianchi's crash, and when the cars were pulled off the track permanently shortly after, Hamilton was left celebrating his second successive victory.

1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
3. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)
4. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
5. Jenson Button (McLaren)
6. Valtteri Bottas (Williams)
7. Felipe Massa (Williams)
8. Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso)
9. Sergio Perez (Force India)
10. Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso)
11. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
12. Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber)
13. Kevin Magnussen (McLaren)
14. Romain Grosjean (Lotus)
15. Pastor Maldonado (Lotus)
16. Marcus Ericsson (Caterham)
15. Sergio Perez (Force India)
17. Max Chilton (Marussia)
18. Kamui Kobayashi (Caterham)

Retired: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), Jules Bianchi (Marussia), Nico Hulkenberg (Force India), Adrian Sutil (Sauber)