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The McLaren driver narrowly beat team-mate and title rival the Australian for the top spot in the dying seconds of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The British racer, who seized the championship lead from Piastri by a single point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix recently, beat the Australian by 0.023 seconds.

Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren for most of the session before sprint qualifying scheduled for the evening session.

The Red Bull star, the only other driver in realistic title contention, trailing 36 points Norris, was classified in 17th position as his Red Bull team ran a alternative strategy.

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

Tsunoda spun out over the exit kerbs before sliding over the escape zone, and was blessed to escape with just a slight brush of the fence.

The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also had a spin, at the final moments of the practice, rotating twice through the quick descending Mergulho corner leading to the final corner on to the pit straight.

The seven-time champion ended the session in 19th place, one place behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.

The McLaren drivers were well clear of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber in third, 0.619 seconds behind the Australian's time.

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