Leclerc punched in a 1m27.419s prior to a smattering of rainfall, which briefly intensified enough to dampen the circuit and reduce the available grip for the second half of the session.
Early on, Max Verstappen posted a 1m28.836s on the medium compound but came under threat from the Ferrari duo. Neither Leclerc nor Carlos Sainz could match Verstappen in the final sector despite running a softer grade of tyres, Leclerc setting a 1m29.000s to slot into an early second place.
The two Mercedes cars then thrust their way into the top end of the times, as George Russell split the Ferraris and Lewis Hamilton beat them to post a lap 0.13s slower than Verstappen’s benchmark – albeit on the soft tyre.
Verstappen improved with a 1m28.266s, but was bettered by Sainz’s next soft-tyre lap as the Spaniard placed a 1m27.964s onto the top shelf as the opening 15 minutes of the session drew to a close.
Leclerc followed up his team-mate’s time, moving above Verstappen but was 0.1s off Sainz’s then-benchmark lap.
Hamilton then moved to the top having posted …