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The McLaren driver edged out team-mate and championship contender the Australian for the top spot in the closing stages of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Norris, who grabbed the points lead from Piastri by just one point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix two weeks ago, topped the Australian by 0.023 seconds.

Until that point, Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair during the running before sprint qualifying due at 6:30 PM GMT.

The Red Bull star, the only other driver in the points battle, sitting 36 points behind Norris, ended up in P17 as his Red Bull team ran a different programme.

Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, albeit lightly, when he lost control at Turn Four during the early running.

The Japanese lost control over the track edges before spinning across the run-off area, and was fortunate to get away with just a light touch of the wall.

Ferrari's the seven-time champion also had a spin, at the conclusion of the session, rotating twice through the fast downhill Mergulho corner approaching the final corner on to the start-finish straight.

The veteran ended the session in 19th, just behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.

The McLaren pair were significantly quicker of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's car in third, 0.619 seconds behind Piastri's best.

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