The benchmark from Perez came halfway through the hour-long session and, despite a late effort from Alonso, the Red Bull driver's time stood firm.
In warm 27-degrees C conditions, albeit unrepresentative of those the drivers will face in the night-time qualifying and race sessions, Williams' Alex Albon was first onto the scene as the Grove team sought to get the early running in, with new team-mate Logan Sargeant following him out of the pitlane.
