Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped the times ahead of George Russell of Mercedes in Saturday’s third and final practice for the Dutch Grand Prix, the pair edging out local hero and runaway series leader Max Verstappen.

Red Bull’s world champion was third in a closely-matched session that raised the prospect of a tight and competitive qualifying session at the short and compact Zandvoort circuit.

Leclerc was quickest with a best lap in one minute and 11.632 seconds to outpace Russell by 0.066 seconds with Verstappen a tenth of a second behind.

Carlos Sainz was fourth in the second Ferrari, less than two-tenths off the 24-year-old Dutchman’s pace, ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes and Sergio Perez, who was sixth in the second Red Bull.

The top six were separated by only half a second.

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