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Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and title rival the Australian for the fastest time in the closing stages of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The British racer, who seized the championship lead from Piastri by one point after taking the win in Mexico City two weeks ago, beat the Australian by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.

Before then, Piastri had been the leading McLaren throughout the hour before sprint qualifying set to begin at the evening session.

Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, trailing 36 points behind Norris, was classified in P17 as his Red Bull team opted for a alternative strategy.

Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to go off, albeit lightly, when he spun at corner four during the early running.

The Japanese slid over the exit kerbs before sliding over the escape zone, and was fortunate to get away with just a slight brush of the barrier.

Ferrari's the seven-time champion also lost it, at the final moments of the session, spinning around through the fast downhill corner before the final bend on to the start-finish straight.

The seven-time champion finished practice in 19th, trailing team-mate the Monegasque driver.

The McLaren drivers were well clear of the remaining drivers, with Nico Hulkenberg's car P3, 0.619 seconds off the Australian's time.

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