In a calamitous few laps for Ferrari, the Italian team threw away a certain one-two finish after Sebastian Vettel broke down and Charles Leclerc dropped from first to third.
Valtteri Bottas followed team-mate Hamilton home at the Sochi Autodrome as Mercedes secured the full quota of points on a day to forget for those dressed in red. Relive all of the drama below.
Charles Leclerc starts this race in pole position after an impressive qualifying. The 21-year-old Ferrari driver has now secured four successive poles and will hope for a victory at the Sochi circuit today.
But he will likely face some stiff competition from Mercedes, who have won all five of the five races in Russia since in was introduced to the circuit.
It was Leclerc's teammate Sebastian Vettel who controversially snatched victory in Singapore last week. Let's hope for a similarly dramatic race today.
Here's how the Drivers' Championship table looks ahead of this race. Mercedes are still way out in front and will be looking to extend their lead this afternoon.
Lewis Hamilton, who starts today in second, has emphasised the importance of getting off to a good start:
"It is a difficult one," he said. "It is such a long straight. I am second. It is usually a bit dirtier on the right. Will he (Leclerc) cover and give me the tow? If he does, great.
"Will he stay in position and give Seb a tow and they both keep pulling past and we fall back to third? Will I be able to get a better start and then he'll pull away at some point? I don't know.
"There are so many scenarios. That's why starts are so great. It is about being on your toes. It is about picking up whatever ball drops and being the quickest to react."
There is a long way to go and it is a good start. We have been competitive all weekend and the race simulation seems good too.
"It is going to be difficult to keep everyone behind, especially at the start, as it is a very long way to Turn Two but it was a very positive race run in P2 so that is a positive sign already."
Mercedes appear to be approaching this race strategically, opting for the medium tyre, which is likely to prove more durable and last longer.
Ferrari, meanwhile, have taken a risk with the soft tyre but, as Hamilton has pointed out, they have the speed advantage. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
Qualifying did not go entirely as planned for Red Bull. Verstappen was fourth fastest but a grid penalty for taking additional power unit elements means he's been pushed down to ninth in today's grid.
His teammate Alexander Albon, meanwhile, crashed out of the first session and will begin the race way back in 19th. Red Bull, then, have a lot of ground to make up.
Leclerc has earned comparisons with Michael Schumacher for his performances of late, becoming the first driver since the legendary German to achieve four pole positions in a row. But the 21-year-old has played down the hype that has followed yesterday's qualifying.
"I don't want to think about those stats for now," he said. "I just want to focus on the job."
Sky Sports F1 will show live coverage of the race. Their programming begins at 10.30m.
Highlights of the race will air on Channel 4. They start at 6.30pm on Sunday evening.
Can I stream the race?
Sky Sports subscribers can watch the race via the Sky Go app or via a web browser.
You can watch the Russian Grand Prix through Now TV via Sky Sports Day Pass for £9.99.
Where is it?
The Russian Grand Prix takes places at the Sochi Autodrom, with the circuit surrounding the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
What time is it?
The race is due to start at 12.10 BST.
What time does qualifying begin?
Qualifying follows the third practice session on Saturday, and should begin at 1pm BST.
What is our prediction?
Mercedes have not lost in Russia since the race was added back on to the Formula 1 calendar in 2014, and Lewis Hamilton will continue that streak this weekend.
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