After yesterday's diesel spill and inclement weather, one dreads to think what Sochi might have in store for us today; perhaps a plague of locusts, or frogs, or perhaps Moses Ecclestone will take time out from the Red Bull saga and part the Black Sea.

The teams continue to wax lyrical about the venue but the overhead shots reveal it to have all the glamour of the venue for the 2012 London Olympics, Stratford, and anyone familiar with that part of the capital will know exactly what we mean. Also, especially in yesterday's gloom, did anyone else think the Sochi leisure park resembled something out of a Tim Burton movie.

With both sessions compromised, and no practice or testing of significant worth, we can expect a bust FP3 this morning.

Ahead of this morning's all-important session the air temperature is 16 degrees C and the track temperature is 21 degrees. It is overcast but the weathermen claim they don't expect further rain for the remainder of the weekend.

There are two DRS zones, the first on the pit straight and the second on the long sweep between T10 and T13. Tyres, like Singapore and other street tracks, are soft and supersoft, a step softer than in 2014.

As expected, ahead of the all clear there is a queue at the head of which is local hero Kvyat. Hamilton is among the early risers.

With no significant data from yesterday we are expecting some teams to try different strategies with its two cars. Also, even at this early stage some teams are running the soft and others the supersoft rubber.

With so many drivers to get out there, most performing practice starts, in ni tome at all there is a massive traffic jam in the pitlane.

No exploratory laps for Kvyat and most of his rivals as the remain on track and head off to light up the timing screens.

The Russian stops the clock at 1:46.856 but this is soon beaten by Ericsson (46.853). Even though Rosberg heads back to the pits for a practice start, all are on track bar the Ferrari duo who have yet to appear.

Of the first wave, Bottas is quickest, the Williams driver posting 42.829.

As Massa pits, having told his team the "engine is not working", teammate Bottas raises the bar with a 41.786. Replay shows Rosberg running wide.

Going quickest in all three sectors, Bottas improves to 40.884, almost 3s quicker than second-laced Grosjean. At which point Hamilton posts 43.384 to go second.

"The rears are starting to drop off," complains Grosjean, who is on primes, whilst Hulkenberg reports "quite a bit of understeer".

Bottas, who holds the lap record here, consolidates his position with a 40.617, Hamilton posts 42.872.

Almost fifteen minutes into the session Raikkonen (option), and then Vettel (prime), head down the pitlane.

Massa, his engine issue (clearly) resolved, posts 40.972 to go second, the Williams duo over 2s ahead of the nearest opposition. However, the Brazilian complains he still has an issue when changing gears in T2.

A low-key start for Ferrari as Vettel goes sixteenth (44.777) and Raikkonen seventeenth. Elsewhere, a spin for Verstappen at T18, the Dutchman, having spun 180 after losing the rear is lucky not to collect Vettel who was unsighted until the last moment.

Raikkonen improves to 8th (43.566) with Vettel posting 43.756 to go ninth moments later.

Vettel improves to third with a 42.769, still over 2s off Bottas' best. Moments later the German is leapfrogged by Raikkonen (42.297), the only man in the top seven on the option rubber.

Merhi is advised that his team has been warned about exceeding track limits at T2.

"Wide variety of times, but no point looking at them too much as teams and drivers are working through very different programmes," admits Pirelli.

Kvyat says he is not happy with his brakes - "I can't feel them," he complains - whilst Verstappen says the balance of his car has improved since his spin.

Switching to the option rubber Bottas posts 40.275, with Nasr, also on options, going third (41.229) shortly after.

"Biggest challenge is getting heat into tyres on this cold and 'green' track," admits Pirelli. "Set-up changes can help this, but track will evolve anyway."

From out of nowhere, Rosberg, now on options, bangs in a 38.941, 1.334s clear of Bottas. The Finn responds with a 39.287.