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Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and title rival the Australian for the quickest lap in the dying seconds of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Norris, who seized the title advantage from Piastri by just one point after winning in Mexico City a fortnight back, topped the Melbourne-born driver by a mere 0.023s.

Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair during the running before sprint qualifying set to begin at 18:30 GMT.

The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, sitting 36 points Norris, finished in P17 as his Red Bull team opted for a different programme.

His teammate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, though minor, when he lost control at Turn Four early in the session.

Tsunoda spun out over the curbs on exit before spinning across the escape zone, and was fortunate to escape with just a minor contact of the fence.

The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the final moments of the practice, turning around through the high-speed corner before the final bend on to the pit straight.

Hamilton wrapped up in 19th place, just behind teammate Charles Leclerc.

The McLaren pair were far ahead of the other competitors, with the German's car P3, 0.619secs slower than the Australian's time.

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