Qualifying for the fifty three lap 2016 Russian Grand Prix would see the Williams Martini team finish in third and fifth with Valtteri Bottas leading his team-mate Felipe Massa. But the grid for the race would see Valtteri start from the front row as a result of Vettel being given a five grid place penalty, seeing him drop to seventh. Felipe would start the race from fourth. Pole was Rosberg followed by Valtteri, Raikkonen, Felipe, Ricciardo, Perez. Vettel, Kvyat, Verstappen, and Hamilton in tenth. Hamilton had an engine issue that saw him fail to set a time in the final period of qualifying. His team was able to fix the issue by swapping him to his spare engine without incurring any penalty. The top ten were all on the supersoft tyre with only Hulkenberg, Gutierrez, and Ericsson starting on the soft tyre. Those outside the top ten on supersoft tyres were all on new sets.

The grid would clear and the field would move off on their parade lap. THey would return and Rosberg would take up his pole position with Valtteri next to him. Felipe would be behind Valtteri as the lights went out and it would be Rosberg away first with Raikkonen passing Valtteri at Turn two. But disaster would happen for Vettel when he was hit by one of the Red Bull's seeing him spin off into the barriers. Hulkenberg would also retire as the Safety Car came out. Kvyat would pit joined by Ricciardo. Valtteri was running in third followed by Felipe. Perez would also have to pit with a punctured right rear tyre. Both Red bull's had taken on medium tyres. Gutierrez w2ould also stop taking on medium tyres and a new front wing.

Haryanto had spun and was not able to continue. Hamilton was now in fifth followed by Verstappen, Alonso, Grosjean, Magnussen, and Palmer in tenth. It was looking like Kvyat had hit Vettel at Turn Two but he would again be hit at Turn Three as he tried to continue seeing him crash into the barrier. The Safety Car would come in and Valtteri would get past Raikkonen at Turn Two while Hamilton would pass Felipe for fourth. So for Williams with six laps completed they were in second and fifth. Felipe was dropping away from Hamilton. Raikkonen continue to run close behind Valtteri while Valtteri was 3.6 seconds behind Rosberg. Hamilton would pass Raikkonen for third.

Rosberg's lead over Valtteri was now 4.7 seconds after lap eight. Hamilton would close up to Valtteri while Kvyat would pit having to take a ten second penalty for his part in Vettel's accident. Felipe was still in fifth but 2.4 seconds behind Raikkonen. Hamilton was just 0.7s behind Valtteri and starting to take a look at Turn Two. Sainz would pit on lap twelve taking on soft tyres, coming out in seventeenth. Rosberg would continue to extend his lead with the gap to Valtteri now 7.8 seconds. Hamilton would lose time to Valtteri on lap thirteen with Raikkonen now right behind the Mercedes. Hamilton had dropped out of DRS range but Hamilton would again start to close in onto the Williams. Rosberg was now 10.9 seconds in the lead over Valtteri.

Palmer would pit on lap sixteen coming back out on soft tyres in fourteenth position. Second, third and fourth were all running close together with Valtteri still holding off Hamilton. Valtteri would pit from second on lap eighteen taking on soft tyres in what looked like his only stop. Valtteri would come out in seventh ahead of Grosjean. Hamilton was now 14.1 seconds behind his team-mate and he would pit on lap nineteen seeing Raikkonen move up to second. Grosjean would also pit with Hamilton coming back out seeing Valtteri having to get past the Mercedes. Valtteri was able to do so but Hamilton was right behind the Williams. Felipe was now in third 8.4 seconds behind Raikkonen. Valtteri was now closing in onto Alonso. Felipe would pit on lap twenty also taking on soft tyres.

Valtteri would run wide going out onto the marbles losing time to Hamilton. Hamilton would pass Alonso and was now fourth. Valtteri was now sixth behind Alonso with Felipe seventh. Rosberg was now 15.3 seconds ahead of Raikkonen. Valtteri would pass Alonso as Raikkonen pitted on lap twenty two. Button would also come in from ninth. Verstappen was now second but yet to pit. Rosberg would pit on lap twenty three taking on soft tyres. Rosberg would come back out still in the lead. Alonso had also pitted from seventh taking on soft tyres. Verstappen was now separating the two Mercedes cars but he would pit on lap twenty four. Valtteri and Felipe were now fourth and fifth with Valtteri 3.1 seconds behind Raikkonen. Felipe was 8.2 seconds behind his team-mate.

After their stops Rosberg was 12.9 seconds ahead of Hamilton with Raikkonen 3.1 seconds behind Hamilton. Perez was in sixth followed by Verstappen, Alonso, Ericsson and Ricciardo. Valtteri continued to fall away from Raikkonen while Felipe was 8.8 seconds behind his team-mate. Ricciardo in tenth was on medium tyres with Ericsson in ninth on the supersoft tyre. Perez would pit dropping to thirteenth on the soft tyre. At the front Rosberg and Hamilton were sharing quickest laps with Magnussen moving past Ricciardo for eighth. Grosjean would also come past Ricciardo seeing him in ninth. Ricciardo would pit giving up on the medium tyre. This would allow Sainz to move into tenth. Valtteri was now 7.0 seconds behind Raikkonen while Felipe seemed to be holding the gap to his team-mate. Verstappen who was in sixth was falling away from Felipe. At the front Rosberg was losing time to Hamilton with the gap down to 10.0 seconds. Rosberg was in traffic with the gap to Hamilton was now 8.3 seconds.

Verstappen would stop out on the track with an engine problem seeing Alonso now sixth followed by Magnussen, Grosjean, Perez, and Sainz in tenth. All the cars from third to sixth were having fairly lonely races with big gaps all behind them. Hamilton would be told by his team that he had a water pressure issue as Rosberg started to slowly extend his lead. Valtteri was 8.2 seconds behind Raikkonen with Felipe 7.1 seconds behind the Finn. Lap thirty eight and Rosberg would set quickest time by a considerable margin seeing his lead out to 9.4 seconds. As the laps counted down Rosberg's lead would grow to 12.9 seconds after forty one laps. Hamilton was told that the situation with the water pressure had stabilised but for him second was looking to be his best outcome. Button was in eleventh right behind Sainz but the Torro Rosso driver would receive a five second penalty at the end of the race possibly seeing both McLaren's in the points.

Valtteri and Felipe still continued in fourth and fifth but such were the gaps that is looking like where they would finish. But on lap forty eight Felipe would pit coming back out on supersoft tyres but such was his lead over Alonso that he would come back out still in fifth. Five laps remaining and Rosberg was leading Hamilton comfortably with Raikkonen third. Valtteri was still fourth followed by Felipe, Alonso, Magnussen, Grosjean, Perez, and Sainz in tenth. Button would pass Sainz for tenth at Turn seventeen. Perez was looking to get past Grosjean for eighth with the gap 0.4 seconds. Alonso in sixth would be lapped by the leader while Felipe was putting in some quick laps on the supersoft tyre.

Rosberg would start his final lap having just set a new fastest lap. Hamilton was 21.4 seconds behind his team-mate with Raikkonen 6.6 seconds behind the Mercedes. Rosberg would complete his lap to take victory from Hamilton, Raikkonen, Valtteri, Felipe, Alonso, Magnussen, Grosjean, Perez, and Button in tenth. For the Williams Martini team it was a great result seeing a double points finish for the team. But there must still be a degree of disappointment with having their best qualifying result only to not have the pace in the race.