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Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and championship contender the Australian for the quickest lap in the closing stages of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Norris, who took the championship lead from Piastri by one point after taking the win in the Mexican Grand Prix recently, topped the Melbourne-born driver by a mere 0.023s.

Until that point, Piastri had been the leading McLaren during the running before sprint qualifying scheduled for 18:30 GMT.

Max Verstappen, the other racer in the points battle, sitting with a 36-point deficit behind Norris, ended up in 17th place as his Red Bull team followed a alternative strategy.

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

Tsunoda lost control over the track edges before sliding over the escape zone, and was fortunate to escape with just a light touch of the wall.

The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also lost it, at the conclusion of the session, spinning around through the fast downhill Mergulho corner leading to the final corner on to the start-finish straight.

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

Norris and Piastri were well clear of the rest of the field, with the German's car third fastest, 0.619secs slower than Piastri's best.

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