🔗 Share this article

Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and title rival the Australian for the top spot in the final moments of the practice session at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Norris, who took the points lead from Piastri by one point after winning in Mexico City a fortnight back, beat the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.

Before then, Piastri had been the leading McLaren for most of the session before sprint qualifying due at 18:30 GMT.

The Red Bull star, the only other driver in the championship fight, sitting 36 points behind Norris, ended up in 17th position as his Red Bull team opted for a unique setup.

His teammate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to have an incident, if briefly, when he spun at the fourth corner soon after starting.

Tsunoda lost control over the curbs on exit before spinning across the run-off area, and was fortunate to escape with just a minor contact of the wall.

Ferrari's the seven-time champion also had a spin, at the final moments of the session, turning around through the high-speed Mergulho corner before the final corner on to the start-finish straight.

The veteran ended the session in 19th place, one place behind teammate the Monegasque driver.

The McLaren pair were significantly quicker of the remaining drivers, with Nico Hulkenberg's car P3, over half a second behind the Australian's time.

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