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Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in the rain-shortened final practice session for the British Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver was fastest in the dry conditions before heavy rain arrived at Silverstone.

Williams’ Alex Albon took second place, one spot ahead of Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso, with Pierre Gasly fourth for Alpine and Lewis Hamilton fifth.

World champion Max Verstappen, quickest in both sessions at the Northamptonshire venue on Friday, was eighth.

The final one-hour practice session before qualifying began in dry conditions, but the predicted rain soon arrived.

In the initial slick conditions, Leclerc was the fastest out of the traps, seeing off Albon by a tenth.

Lewis Hamilton finished only 15th in practice on a troubling day for the home favourite at the British Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen continued his dominant form by completing a practice double at a sizzling Silverstone, while Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes team struggled in the heat.

Hamilton finished 12th in the first practice session and then finished the day three places lower, 1.2 seconds behind Verstappen.

The seven-time world champion, however, made significant progress on Saturday, finishing just half a second behind the leaders.

Fellow Briton George Russell was a few places better off in 12th in the other Mercedes.

“I have no grip,” said Russell. “The car is sliding all over the place.”

Shortly after, Hamilton said: “We are battling the same thing.

“It is a tough car to drive. No matter what we do with the setup it continues to be a tough car to drive.

“On a single lap, I did not feel an improvement between the different tyres so that shows something is wrong and we are missing something.”

Heavy showers could continue throughout the day with qualifying due to get underway at 12 am AEST.