Max Verstappen set the pace for Red Bull amid much-improved weather conditions during final practice for the Japanese Grand Prix, edging out the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.

After a soaking wet opening day of practice at Suzuka, the rain clouds made way for clearer skies and mild temperatures as the field gathered for some much-needed dry running in FP3, albeit with some gusts of wind in the air.

With drivers and teams pushing to gather as much data as possible, a variety of short and long runs – using a combination of Pirelli’s soft, medium and hard rubber – were carried out across the 60-minute session.

Fernando Alonso put his Alpine fourth with an impressive qualifying simulation, slotting a couple of tenths ahead of Singapore Grand Prix winner Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull.

George Russell led Mercedes’s charge in sixth position, half a tenth up on team mate Lewis Hamilton, though had a scare into the Turn 11 hairpin late on as he “almost crashed into” the slow-moving Pierre Gasly – announced as Alonso’s replacement at Alpine earlier in the day.

McLaren driver Lando Norris took eighth, ahead of Esteban Ocon’s Alpine – the battle for P4 in the constructors’ standings showing no signs of easing up – as Lance Stroll completed the top 10 for Aston Martin.

As he did in the wet on Friday, Daniel Ricciardo had another moment into the final chicane en route to 11th, followed by the leading Williams and Alfa Romeo machines of Alex Albon and Valtteri Bottas.