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Lando Norris just pipped fellow driver and title rival Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the dying seconds of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Norris, who grabbed the championship lead from his teammate by one point after winning in Mexico City two weeks ago, beat the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.

Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren throughout the hour before sprint qualifying scheduled for 6:30 PM GMT.

The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in realistic title contention, trailing with a 36-point deficit behind Norris, finished in 17th position as his Red Bull team followed a unique setup.

His teammate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to crash, albeit lightly, when he spun at Turn Four soon after starting.

Tsunoda spun out over the curbs on exit before sliding over the gravel trap, and was fortunate to escape with just a minor contact of the fence.

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the conclusion of the practice, spinning around through the high-speed Mergulho turn leading to the final corner on to the start-finish straight.

Hamilton wrapped up in P19, just behind teammate the Monegasque driver.

Norris and Piastri were well clear of the rest of the field, with the German's car P3, over half a second off Piastri's best.

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