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The McLaren driver just pipped team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the top spot in the final moments of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Norris, who grabbed the points lead from Piastri by a single point after taking the win in the Mexican Grand Prix recently, beat the Australian by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.

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

Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, trailing 36 points behind Norris, finished in 17th place as his team followed a different programme.

Verstappen's team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to go off, albeit lightly, when he spun at the fourth corner during the early running.

Tsunoda lost control over the exit kerbs before rotating through the gravel trap, and was blessed to avoid just a slight brush of the barrier.

The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also had a spin, at the very end of the session, turning around through the high-speed Mergulho turn leading to the last turn on to the start-finish straight.

Hamilton ended the session in 19th place, just behind teammate Charles Leclerc.

The McLaren pair were far ahead of the remaining drivers, with Nico Hulkenberg's car in third, over half a second slower than Piastri's pace.

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