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Lando Norris just pipped fellow driver and title rival Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the final moments of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Norris, who seized the title advantage from Piastri by just one point after taking the win in Mexico City recently, outpaced the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.

Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren throughout the hour before sprint qualifying scheduled for the evening session.

Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in the points battle, sitting with a 36-point deficit Norris, finished in 17th place as his team followed a unique setup.

Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to have an incident, if briefly, when he lost control at Turn Four during the early running.

Tsunoda lost control over the track edges before rotating through the run-off area, and was blessed to avoid just a slight brush of the barrier.

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the very end of the practice, spinning around through the quick descending Mergulho corner before the final bend on to the main straight.

The veteran finished practice in 19th, just behind teammate Charles Leclerc.

Norris and Piastri were well clear of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's car in third, over half a second off Piastri's pace.

The Aston Martin of the Spanish driver was in fourth, with the Sauber of Bortoleto fifth from Mercedes' George Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.