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The McLaren driver edged out team-mate and championship contender the Australian for the top spot in the final moments of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Norris, who took the championship lead from Piastri by a single point after winning in Mexico City recently, outpaced the Australian by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.

Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair throughout the hour before sprint qualifying scheduled for 18:30 GMT.

Max Verstappen, the only other driver in the championship fight, lying with a 36-point deficit Norris, ended up in P17 as his Red Bull team opted for a alternative strategy.

His teammate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, if briefly, when he spun at corner four soon after starting.

Tsunoda lost control over the curbs on exit before sliding over the gravel trap, and was lucky to get away with just a minor contact of the wall.

The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the very end of the session, rotating twice through the high-speed Mergulho turn leading to the final bend on to the main straight.

The seven-time champion ended the session in 19th, just behind teammate the Monegasque driver.

The McLaren pair were significantly quicker of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber in third, over half a second slower than the Australian's time.

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