Norris Edges Out Oscar Piastri in Brazilian Practice
Lando Norris has beaten Oscar Piastri at all of the last five race weekends.
Lando Norris narrowly beat team-mate and championship contender the Australian for the fastest time in the closing stages of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who grabbed the championship lead from his teammate by a single point after his victory in Mexico City recently, topped the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.
Before then, Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair during the running before the sprint shootout due at 6:30 PM GMT.
Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, lying 36 points Norris, finished in 17th position as his Red Bull team ran a unique setup.
His teammate Yuki Tsunoda was the only driver to crash, if briefly, when he lost control at Turn Four soon after starting.
Tsunoda lost control over the curbs on exit before rotating through the escape zone, and was blessed to avoid just a light touch of the fence.
The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also spun, at the final moments of the session, spinning around through the quick descending Mergulho turn leading to the final bend on to the main straight.
The seven-time champion ended the session in 19th, just behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren pair were well clear of the rest of the field, with the German's car third fastest, over half a second slower than Piastri's best.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was in fourth, with the Sauber of Bortoleto in front of Mercedes' George Russell and Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.
