Nico Rosberg has claimed his second consecutive pole position in Russia ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.
Drivers came into qualifying with limited dry track experience this weekend but Rosberg set an impressive benchmark in Q1 with a 1:38.3 with the prime tyre, whilst everyone bar team-mate Hamilton ran the supersoft compound.
With Carlos Sainz absent from the session, only four drivers would exit from Q1. The battle to survive was between Sauber and McLaren, and it was Ericsson and Alonso who lost out.
Those Eliminated in Q1 were: Alonso (16th), Ericsson (17th), Stevens (18th) and Merhi (19th).
Come Q2 and even the Mercedes opted for the supersoft tyres. Rosberg led again with a 1:37.5 head of Hamilton by 0.2 seconds.
Felipe Massa had a troubled session and could only manage 15th – 1.6 seconds slower than team-mate Bottas. Home favourite Kvyat also failed to make the shootout but lines up in 11th provisionally for the race.
Those eliminated in Q2 were: Kvyat (11th), Nasr (12th), Button (13th), Maldonado (14th) and Massa (15th).
The shootout for the final ten positions got under way and Rosberg led from his team-mate again after the first runs. Bottas split the Mercedes from the Ferrari’s and the Force India’s followed.
The drivers opted to continue on their runs instead of pitting. None of the drivers to do so could improve their positions.
The top ten line up as follows: Rosberg (Pole), Hamilton (2nd), Bottas (3rd), Vettel (4th), Raikkonen (5th), Hulkenberg (6th), Perez (7th), Grosjean (8th), Verstappen (9th) and Ricciardo (10th).
