Lando Norris Edges Out Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice
Lando Norris has beaten Oscar Piastri at all of the past five grands prix.
The McLaren driver just pipped team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the dying seconds of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris, who took the title advantage from Piastri by a single point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix two weeks ago, outpaced the Australian by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.
Until that point, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair during the running before sprint qualifying due at 18:30 GMT.
Max Verstappen, the other racer in the championship fight, sitting 36 points behind Norris, was classified in 17th position as his team opted for a alternative strategy.
Verstappen's team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to crash, if briefly, when he rotated at corner four during the early running.
Tsunoda spun out over the exit kerbs before sliding over the run-off area, and was fortunate to avoid just a slight brush of the barrier.
The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also spun, at the final moments of the practice, turning around through the fast downhill Mergulho turn approaching the final corner on to the pit straight.
The seven-time champion wrapped up in 19th place, just behind team-mate the Monegasque driver.
The McLaren pair were far ahead of the remaining drivers, with the German's Sauber P3, 0.619 seconds slower than the Australian's time.
Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was in fourth, with the Sauber of Bortoleto ahead of the Mercedes of George Russell and Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Williams' Sainz.
