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The McLaren driver just pipped team-mate and championship contender the Australian for the top spot in the dying seconds of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The British racer, who grabbed the title advantage from his teammate by a single point after winning in Mexico City a fortnight back, outpaced the Australian by a mere 0.023s.

Until that point, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren for most of the session before the sprint shootout due at the evening session.

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

Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, though minor, when he rotated at corner four soon after starting.

The Japanese lost control over the exit kerbs before spinning across the gravel trap, and was blessed to get away with just a slight brush of the barrier.

Ferrari's the seven-time champion also had a spin, at the very end of the practice, turning around through the quick descending Mergulho corner before the last turn on to the pit straight.

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

Norris and Piastri were significantly quicker of the rest of the field, with the German's Sauber third fastest, 0.619 seconds behind Piastri's pace.

Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was in fourth, with Sauber's Bortoleto ahead of the Mercedes of Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and the Williams of Sainz.