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Lando Norris edged out fellow driver and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the final moments of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Norris, who took the points lead from Piastri by one point after his victory in Mexico City recently, outpaced the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.

Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver throughout the hour before sprint qualifying due at 6:30 PM GMT.

The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in the points battle, lying with a 36-point deficit Norris, finished in 17th place as his Red Bull team followed a different programme.

Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to crash, though minor, when he lost control at corner four early in the session.

The Japanese slid over the curbs on exit before spinning across the gravel trap, and was lucky to escape with just a light touch of the fence.

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the conclusion of the practice, rotating twice through the fast downhill Mergulho turn leading to the final bend on to the pit straight.

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

Norris and Piastri were far ahead of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's car P3, over half a second slower than the Australian's time.

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