The Australian clocked a best lap in one minute and 18.4 seconds to outpace Kimi Raikkonen who was second for Ferrari ahead of Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes.
The top three were separated by only three-tenths of a second after a session that featured an early red flag stoppage when Italian Antonio Giovinazzi hit the barriers at Turn 11.
Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas was quickest in the early stages before the Englishman took control only to be outpaced in the final minutes by Ricciardo.
Dutch teenager Max Verstappen was fourth in the second Red Bull ahead of Bottas and championship leader Sebastian Vettel in the second Ferrari.
Two-time champion Fernando Alonso lived up to his hopes by taking seventh ahead of his McLaren team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne.
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