Sebastian Vettel said Ferrari have some catching up to do after Friday's practice sessions and it was the same story as Valtteri Bottas took pole ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the Russian Grand Prix.
Back-to-back victories have given Hamilton a 40-point lead over Vettel in the battle for the Formula One world title.
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Vettel may have taken a crumb of comfort in seeing Hamilton make a mistake on his final lap to miss out on pole, but the Silver Arrows looked ominous as they locked out the front row for the fifth time this season.
Bottas, winner of the race last year, broke the track record on hypersoft tyres as he maintained his record of never been out-qualified by a team-mate in Sochi.
Vettel will start in third place ahead of fellow Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen after the German was over half a second slower than Bottas on a dominant day for Mercedes.
Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo were third and fourth respectively in Q1 but were not seen again on track after that as they face an engine penalty along with Brendon Hartley, Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso.
Mercedes have won every edition of the Russian Grand Prix and will be expected to maintain that record on Sunday.
MY LAPS WERE NOT SPECIAL AT ALL - HAMILTON
Hamilton was on course to be at the front of the grid when he ran wide at turn seven and abandoned his final lap.
The championship leader was quickest in Q1 and Q2, then blitzed the first sector of the Sochi Autodrom, but a mistake ensured it will be Bottas who starts on pole for the sixth time in his career.
Hamilton said: "Big congratulations to Valtteri. He has been really quick all weekend.
"My laps were not special at all, but you can't always get it right. The team are doing an amazing job and I'm really happy with a one-two.
"My Q2 run was really good. That was a premature pole lap basically - that would have been pole if I had used it for the end one, but it is what it is and I will still be pushing hard [on Sunday]."
VETTEL UPBEAT DESPITE LACK OF FERRARI PACE
Vettel started on pole in Sochi last year but had to settle for the second step of the podium as Bottas took the win.
The four-time world champion hopes it will be Ferrari who have the last laugh this weekend.
"They have been very quick. It should have been a bit closer, the gap, but not enough to be a threat," said Vettel.
"I had a small mistake in the last sector, but I am quite happy. The car felt all right and that makes me quite positive for Sunday.
"I just spoke to Valtteri and reminded him of what happened last year. Maybe we can turn it around. It depends a lot on the initial jump and then we see what we can do into turn one. But if there is a gap, we go for it."
THE GRID
1. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
3. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
4. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
5. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
6. Esteban Ocon (Racing Point Force India)
7. Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
8. Sergio Perez (Racing Point Force India)
9. Romain Grosjean (Haas)
10. Marcus Ericsson (Sauber)
STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 281
2. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 241
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 174
4. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 171
5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 148
Constructors
1. Mercedes 452
2. Ferrari 415
3. Red Bull 274
4. Renault 91
5. Haas 76
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2017: Valtteri Bottas
2016: Nico Rosberg
2015: Lewis Hamilton
WEATHER FORECAST
It should be a dry race day with only light winds and temperatures potentially getting up to 24 degrees.
