Russian Grand Prix live updates (Image: GETTY)
Bottas qualified in pole position and led the race for the first half until Toto Wolff ordered him to let Hamilton past.
Third-placed Sebastian Vettel was closing down on the World Championship leader so Bottas used his position to slow down the Ferrari.
Hamilton had a brief worry on lap 17 when he emerged from the pits behind Vettel but he quickly made amends by regaining his position with a smooth overtake on turn three.
From there, it was relatively comfortable as Mercedes secured a one-two finish with plenty of distance between themselves and Ferrari.
Russian Grand Prix LIVE updates
Lewis Hamilton
“He’s now not fighting for the Championship, where we are,” Hamilton said.
“It’s been such a great weekend for the team. they’ve done such an exceptional job to have this advantage over Ferrari.
“To have a one-two, usually we’d just be elated but I can understand how difficult it was for Valtteri and really he deserved to win.
“Championship wise, as a team we are trying to win both so today it was a real team effort. Whilst it doesn’t feel spectacular, I know he’s going to do well in races to come.”
Mercedes secured a front row lockout in qualifying (Image: GETTY)
Valtteri Bottas
“A difficult day. A good result for us as a team and we got maximum points but personally, it was quite a difficult race,” Bottas said.
“We always go through all the scenarios, Lewis is fighting for the championship and we are fighting for the constructors’, so we always have a plan – but it’s always difficult to predict what’s going to happen in the race.
“It is what it is.”
Sebastian Vettel
“I think everybody had more or less the same pace. I tried my best to put pressure on Valtteri but I couldn’t get close enough.
“It was a good race, I think we were closer today but obviously not the result that we want.”
Lap 53 – LEWIS HAMILTON WINS THE RUSSIAN GRAND PRIX
Lap 50
Three laps to go and the top six looks like this: Hamilton, Bottas, Vettel, Raikkonen, Vertsappen, Ricciardo. Expect no change in the final few minutes.
Lap 47
Max Verstappen pits for the first time and comes out on the ultrasoft tyres but he is 10 seconds behind fourth-placed Kimi Raikkonen.
Lewis Hamilton continues to lead and only a Virtual Safety Car could stop him winning this race now.
Sebastian Vettel is closing in on Valtteri Bottas in second but there may not be enough time left to overtake the Mercedes.
Lap 42
Lewis Hamilton has caught up to Max Verstappen and has a little bite but the Dutchman holds off the challenge thus far.
The Red Bull will have to pit soon anyway so Hamilton does not have to risk anything, his only worry is if he stays behind Verstappen then Sebastian Vettel could close the ground.
Lap 35
Max Vertsappen is still out on the soft tyres which he started the race on and continues to lead the race.
Lewis Hamilton has opened up a 1.5second gap to Valtteri Bottas, who is a further two seconds ahead of Sebastian Vettel.
Lap 28
Mercedes issue team orders as Valtteri Bottas lets Lewis Hamilton past!
Bottas was struggling to get past race leader Max Verstappen, so with Sebastian Vettel closing in on Hamilton, the Finn was ordered to move over.
Hamilton will now become the race leader when Verstappen pits while Bottas will try to slow down Vettel.
Valtteri Bottas allowed Lewis Hamilton past him to lead the race (Image: GETTY)
Lap 24
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have been cleared by the stewards of any wrongdoing for their lap 17 incident.
Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz has asked for Romain Grosjean to be slapped with a five-second penalty as he feels he was forced off track.
Kimi Raikkonen continues to whip around the track as he sets another fastest lap.
Lap 21
Kimi Raikkonen sets the fastest as he returns from the pits in fifth place.
A quick run down of the top six: Verstappen (yet to pit), Bottas, Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Ricciardo (yet to pit).
Lap 19
Lewis Hamilton has complained over the team radio that Sebastian Vettel moved twice under-breaking during the defence at turn two.
The stewards have opened an investigation and are looking at the incident.
Meanwhile, Kimi Raikkonen pits for the first time and Max Vertsappen, who is still on the soft tyres, leads.
Lap 17
Sebastian Vettel comes out behind Valtteri Bottas and then Lewis Hamilton takes his turn to go into pits.
But when Hamilton re-emerges he is behind Vettel! A nightmare scenario for Mercedes as their two drivers have been split by Ferrari.
The Brit is straight on his team radio questioning how the mistake happened.
However, Hamilton wastes no time in correcting the error as he comes within inches of clipping Vettel with a risky undertake at turn two before finally regaining his position at the next corner.
Lap 14
First roll of the dice from Mercedes as race-leader Valtteri Bottas pits on lap 13. He comes back out behind Max Verstappen in fifth.
Lewis Hamilton now the temporary pole sitter and Sebastian Vettel comes into the pits.
Lap 11
Lewis Hamilton is beginning to close the gap on Valtteri Bottas and creeps up to the DRS threshold.
Sebastian Vettel is struggling to keep up with the pace of the Mercedes and trails by three seconds.
Red Bull are having a brilliant afternoon as Max Vertsappen is up to fifth with Daniel Ricciardo seventh.
Lap 6
Double retirement for Toro Rosso! Hartley and Gasley both spin, it looks like a braking problem, and they cannot continue with the race.
Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas is staying out of DRS reach of Lewis Hamilton as he opens up a 1.5second gap to his team-mate.
Lap 4
Max Verstappen is on absolute fire as he shoots his way from 18th to eighth! That new power unit must be really something, especially as he is out on the soft tyres.
Verstappen’s engineer: “You are doing a very very good job here Max, remember the ultimate objective.”
Lap 1
Mercedes defend their front row lockout superbly as Sebastian Vettel has three bites at Hamilton.
Heading into turn one, Vettel gets alongside Hamilton but the Mercedes driver put his foot down to pull away.
Bottas tactically moved over to allow Hamilton to defend his position and its as you were for the front four.
Surprisingly, Daniel Ricciardo has dropped from 19th to last after Brendon Hartley overtakes him.
Sebastian Vettel completes the front three (Image: GETTY)
12.05am: The drivers are out for their formation lap and the races is just minutes away…
11.55am: Max Verstappen, who is celebrating his 21st birthday today, will start from 19th while Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo is 18th.
The pair have been told by boss Christian Horner to give it all they have in the first few laps so we should see some exciting racing at the back of the grid.
The two Red Bulls are part of five cars who have implemented new power units in their engines so have been slapped with grid penalties.
11.40am: Half an hour now until the lights go out and excitement is really starting to build.
A quick reminder of how the top 10 line-up: Bottas, Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Magnussen, Ocon, Leclerc, Perez, Grosjean, Ericsson.
11.30am: Rain is slowly beginning to fall now in Sochi which bring a whole new element to the race – which Lewis Hamilton can testify to.
“It’s raining which is one of the first times we have had rain here,” he said.
“It looks like it could be quite a tricky afternoon but hopefully that makes it more fun.
“It is very, very, very tricky. All we can do is try to prepare the best we can and make sure your senses are on point.”
11.15am: Good morning and welcome to an overcast Sochi where Lewis Hamilton is hoping to extend his lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship.
It will be very interesting to see if Mercedes let their two drivers race each other from the off but I highly doubt that will be the case.
Ferrari have often complained about the Silver Arrows’ tactics this season and unfortunately they will likely be extremely conservative again this afternoon.
If Hamilton passes Bottas early then you can expect the Finn to try and slow down the trailing Ferraris.
But who knows, maybe the Prancing Horse can pull off an early surprise to throw the race wide open.