Lewis Hamilton edged title rival Sebastian Vettel during the final practice session for Formula 1’s Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, which was interrupted by a brief rain shower.
Hamilton was last after the initial runs, following a wide moment into the chicane, as light rain intensified 15 minutes into running, which subsequently left the circuit free of action until halfway through the hour.
Muggy and very windy conditions meant that the circuit dried sufficiently for slick rubber to be used once more, and Hamilton went top with a 1:29.599, as the leaders took on the Supersoft compound.
It ensured Hamilton eclipsed Vettel by 0.116s, albeit with his lap over a second slower than the one he posted during Friday's second session.
The session was brought to an early halt three minutes from the allocated hour as Nico Hulkenberg crashed his Renault heavily into Turn 5.
Hulkenberg caused substantial damage to the rear-end of his R.S.18 after running wide through the exit of Turn 4, with the loss of traction pitching him into the barriers at the next turn.
Kimi Raikkonen’s early benchmark proved sufficient for him to place third, with his later run scuppered by a wide moment through the Turn 7 gravel, ahead of Max Verstappen, Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo.
A gap of six-tenths followed to Force India’s Esteban Ocon, who again led the midfield contingent, once more holding a buffer over his rivals.
Ocon’s Force India team-mate Sergio Perez took eighth, while Carlos Sainz Jr. edged Haas pair Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean for ninth.
Charles Leclerc emerged as the quicker Sauber driver and was 12th, in front of Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hartley, Williams’ Lance Stroll and the stricken Hulkenberg.
Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson was 16th, ahead of McLaren duo Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne, the pair sandwiching Williams’ Sergey Sirotkin.
Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly finished at the rear of the 20-car field.
Saturday’s qualifying session will begin at 15:00 local time
