F1 teams have become accustomed to arriving in Russia early on in the season. But this year's event switches back to late September/October period for the first time since 2015. Teams are going to have to dig a little deeper to find accurate weather climate plans but its good news for the majority of teams.
The sun is expected to shine all weekend with temperatures forecast to be around 25c on race day. The wall-to-wall sunshine is expected to last through Friday evening until the chequered flag drops.
In the all-important practice sessions, cloud cover is expected to make the track a little cooler than what will be witnessed on Saturday/Sunday.
A westerly wind is predicted to hit the track on race day, but the speed won't have a strong effect on the cars.
A wet race would have almost certainly benefitted the Mercedes car after examples in Germany and Hungary. But a dry race is good news for Ferrari, giving them a level 'ish' playing field in a race they must win to keep realistic championship hopes alive.