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

Norris, who seized the championship lead from Piastri by one point after winning in Mexico City recently, beat the Australian by 0.023 seconds.

Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver during the running before the sprint shootout due at 6:30 PM GMT.

Max Verstappen, the other racer in realistic title contention, lying 36 points behind Norris, was classified in 17th place as his team followed a alternative strategy.

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

Tsunoda lost control over the curbs on exit before spinning across the run-off area, and was lucky to avoid just a slight brush of the fence.

The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the final moments of the practice, turning around through the fast downhill Mergulho turn approaching the final corner on to the pit straight.

Hamilton ended the session in 19th, trailing team-mate Charles Leclerc.

The McLaren drivers were far ahead of the other competitors, with the German's car in third, 0.619 seconds behind Piastri's best.

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was fourth quickest, with the Sauber of Bortoleto ahead of Mercedes' Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.