Title protagonists Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, separated by 22 points in the drivers’ standings, could only manage third and sixth respectively such were their surprisingly off-key performances.

The final hour-long run has primarily been the time when Mercedes put the hammer down and threaten of their dominance to come.

But around the Marina Bay Street Circuit, the field was led by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso for the second time in three sessions at this race.

Ferrari have clearly made an improvement, similarly Red Bull, although they were always expected to mount a challenge due to the fact the track is one suited to their characteristics.

Daniel Ricciardo, still on the fringes of the hunt for the title as he trails Rosberg by 72 points, finished just 0.051secs adrift of Alonso’s lap of one minute 47.299secs.

Championship leader Rosberg was just under two tenths of a second down, followed by Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne and then Sebastian Vettel in his Red Bull, 0.412secs adrift.

As for Hamilton, who appeared far from happy with the balance of his car throughout, he had to settle for an unusually lowly sixth, 0.439secs back.

The Williams pair of Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas both thrust themselves up the order following a low-key Friday, but with the former six tenths of a second down and the latter nine tenths.

Alonso’s team-mate Kimi Raikkonnen was ninth and Esteban Gutierrez, whose Sauber team are enduring the worst season in the team’s history, completed the top 10 just over a second back.

McLaren have slipped off the pace as Kevin Magnussen and Jenson Button were 12th and 13th, around 1.3secs adrift, with Marussia’s Max Chilton 21st and just under four seconds down.