Lando Norris has beaten Oscar Piastri at each of the past five grands prix.
The McLaren driver just pipped team-mate and championship contender the Australian for the quickest lap in the dying seconds of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who seized the championship lead from Piastri by a single point after taking the win in Mexico City two weeks ago, topped the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.
Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver during the running before the sprint shootout due at 6:30 PM GMT.
The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, lying 36 points behind Norris, was classified in 17th place as his team ran a alternative strategy.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, though minor, when he spun at Turn Four early in the session.
The Japanese lost control over the exit kerbs before rotating through the gravel trap, and was lucky to avoid just a slight brush of the barrier.
The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the conclusion of the practice, rotating twice through the fast downhill Mergulho corner before the final bend on to the pit straight.
The seven-time champion ended the session in 19th, trailing team-mate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren pair were well clear of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's car in third, over half a second off Piastri's pace.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was in fourth, with the Sauber of Bortoleto ahead of the Mercedes of Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Williams' Sainz.
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Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin