FP3: Norris leads Hamilton and Russell in final practice ahead of Mexico City Grand Prix

Lando Norris topped the final practice session ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, the McLaren driver more than three-tenths clear of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes' George Russell completed the top three.

Norris posted his 1m 16.633s with less than 10 minutes remaining in Free Practice 3 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit, with title rivals Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen only fifth and sixth respectively.

Verstappen, who was unhappy with his race pace on Friday, was the first driver to set a time in Saturday's one-hour session, but it took until well after the opening 10 minutes for the majority of the field to head out on track.

Hamilton was immediately pushing the limits, the Ferrari driver running slightly deep at Turn 4 on his first flying lap, before then taking to the grass at Turn 1 at the start of his next attempt.

Approaching the 15-minute mark, Carlos Sainz jumped to the top of the times having been the first driver to use a set of soft Pirelli tyres, his 1m 18.028s remaining as the benchmark approaching the halfway point.

Hamilton once again ran deep at Turn 4, as did Norris on his first flying lap, the McLaren driver slotting into third behind Sainz and Verstappen with his next attempt as the 20 drivers struggled to avoid traffic around the relatively short 2.67-mile circuit.

Still on a set of medium tyres, Norris moved to the top of the times with a 1m 18.015s, with team mate Piastri posting a lap just moments later, which left him more than four-tenths adrift as the Australian struggled to get up to speed in the session compared with his title rival.

As the session entered its second phase, Verstappen was deep into a race simulation on the medium tyre, with Russell complaining that he was "sliding all over the place" on the yellow-walled tyre, as the top six including Norris, Sainz, Russell, Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Isack Hadjar were covered by 0.065s at one stage.

Alex Albon suffered two big lock-ups into Turn 13, thwarting his early attempts on the soft tyre as he reported "it feels weird", with Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli running over the exit kerb at Turn 12 when also on a flying lap as the focus shifted towards Qualifying simulations.

Russell became the first driver to dip below the 1m 18s barrier, the Mercedes driver setting a 1m 17.892s that was soon bested by Hadjar and then Piastri, the Drivers' Championship leader lowering the benchmark to a 1m 17.315s with less than 15 minutes remaining.

The times continued to come down, Leclerc and Antonelli both jumping to the top briefly, before Hamilton became the first driver to go below the 1m 17s barrier this weekend with a 1m 16.978s, only to lose top spot to Norris' 1m 16.633s that remained fastest at the chequered flag.

Behind Hamilton and Russell, Leclerc led Piastri, who finished six-tenths adrift of Norris, with Verstappen and Antonelli less than one-tenth further back, the Red Bull driver complaining of 'no grip, front and rear'.

Hadjar (Racing Bulls), Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda and Kick Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto completed the top 10, followed by Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), Esteban Ocon (Haas), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) and Sainz's Williams.

Team mate Albon was 16th having complained of a lack of power towards the end of the session, followed by Ollie Bearman (Haas) and the two Alpine's of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto.

Fernando Alonso finished 20th, with Aston Martin reporting they had "discovered a small issue with the front right" of the Spaniard's car, which limited his running.

All 20 drivers will be back in action later on Saturday for the crucial Qualifying session for the Mexico City Grand Prix.