Lando Norris pounced late in the final qualifying session to grab pole for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix and add to his sprint win at Interlagos earlier Saturday.

Kimi Antonelli, who was second in the sprint, was second again in qualifying for his first grand prix front-row start.

Oscar Piastri, who is battling his McLaren team-mate Norris for the title, was fourth, and will start next to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc on the second row.

Neither of the Red Bulls were fast enough to make the final session. Defending champion Max Verstappen will start in 16th.

Norris, who regained the lead in the title race by winning in Mexico two weeks ago, claimed his sixth pole of the season and second in succession in Brazil with a dazzling lap under pressure in the final seconds of a tense and surprising qualifying session.

"Tough conditions, slippery and inconsistent," said the 25-year-old Briton. "I put it all together when it mattered."

It was the second time he had edged teenage Italian rookie Antonelli on Saturday.

"I'm a bit annoyed I'm again behind him," said Antonelli.

Norris was impressed.

"Kimi pushes all the way until the very end," said Norris.

"I think it's going to be a big challenge tomorrow. We have to see what the weather is going to do again," he said looking ahead. "In some ways looking forward to it, in some ways I'm not."

Earlier Norris had extended his lead in the drivers' world championship to nine points, after Piastri crashed out of the sprint.

Norris edged Antonelli by eight-tenths of a second and earned eight points to lift him to 365 points in the title race ahead of Piastri on 356. Four-time champion Verstappen, who finished fourth, is on 326.

Norris was 0.845 seconds ahead of a feisty Antonelli at the chequered flag with George Russell third in the second Mercedes ahead of Verstappen, Leclerc and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso.

In qualifying, four-time champion Verstappen, who hoped to maintain a late title push this weekend, failed to make it out of Q1 while seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari went out in Q2 and will start 13th.

Norris clocked a best lap in one minute and 9.511 seconds to beat Antonelli by 0.174 seconds with Leclerc third for Ferrari, almost three-tenths adrift.

"Everything is so close it goes from being a disaster of a weekend to a really good weekend in a matter of a few hundredths," said Leclerc.

Piastri qualified fourth ahead of Racing Bull's rookie Isack Hadjar, Russell and Liam Lawson in the second Racing Bull.

"A bit disappointing with the result," said Piastri. "But the car has looked quick this weekend, especially over a longer run, so hopefully I can take advantage of that tomorrow."

The session was delayed by five minutes for barrier repairs, allowing more time for final adjustments including Ferrari choosing to use a low downforce rear wing in a bid for more straight-line speed.