Nico Hulkenberg moved his Kick Sauber to the top of the times on the medium tyre with a 1m 13.916s, but nearly found the barrier at the final corner later having locked up, before reversing and rejoining unharmed.
Hamilton slotted into second on the soft tyres, but the Ferrari driver complained that “the rear is sliding a lot” over the radio before times soon began to tumble as leading runners took to the circuit.
Lando Norris posted a 1m 12.970s on the softs, before his lap was bested by Friday pacesetter Leclerc as the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda jumped up to third and fourth on the 20-minute mark.
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Leclerc and Norris soon engaged in their own personal duel, as first the McLaren driver reasserted himself back at the top with a 1m 12.347s, Leclerc then set a new benchmark of 1m 12.199s, before Norris immediately replied and improved by less than one tenth.
Reigning World Champion Verstappen then asserted himself at the top, the first man of the day to dip below the 1m12s barrier as the Red Bull driver posted a 1m 11.961s with the medium tyre.
He lowered this further, first to a 1m 11.653s, then a 1m 11.233s, the latter a time which was faster than Leclerc’s best from Friday as the session reached its halfway point.
Qualifying simulation runs took place over the final 15 minutes, with most drivers performing push, cooldown and push laps, with Verstappen reporting “I have no grip” on the soft tyre after failing to improve on his remaining laps.
With just over five minutes remaining, Leclerc moved back to the top on a 1m 11.179s on the soft tyre before the Ferrari driver set a 1m 10.953s, which would finish as the benchmark as the red flags flew with just under two minutes remaining.
