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Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the dying seconds of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Norris, who took the title advantage from Piastri by a single point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, beat the Australian by 0.023 seconds.

Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair during the running before sprint qualifying due at the evening session.

Max Verstappen, the only other driver in realistic title contention, trailing with a 36-point deficit Norris, ended up in 17th position as his team opted for a different programme.

His teammate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to have an incident, though minor, when he spun at Turn Four soon after starting.

Tsunoda spun out over the exit kerbs before rotating through the run-off area, and was blessed to escape with just a slight brush of the barrier.

The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also lost it, at the very end of the practice, rotating twice through the fast downhill corner leading to the final bend on to the pit straight.

The seven-time champion finished practice in P19, just behind teammate Charles Leclerc.

Norris and Piastri were significantly quicker of the other competitors, with the German's Sauber in third, 0.619 seconds off Piastri's pace.

The Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso was fourth fastest, with the Sauber of Bortoleto in front of Mercedes' Russell and Alpine's Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.