Lando Norris Leads Piastri in Brazilian Practice
The British driver has outperformed his teammate at each of the previous five race weekends.
Lando Norris edged out fellow driver and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the top spot in the dying seconds of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who grabbed the title advantage from his teammate by one point after taking the win in the Mexican Grand Prix recently, outpaced the Australian by 0.023 seconds.
Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair during the running before sprint qualifying set to begin at 18:30 GMT.
Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in realistic title contention, trailing with a 36-point deficit behind Norris, was classified in P17 as his Red Bull team ran a alternative strategy.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, though minor, when he rotated at corner four soon after starting.
The Japanese slid over the track edges before spinning across the gravel trap, and was lucky to avoid just a light touch of the wall.
The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also had a spin, at the very end of the practice, spinning around through the quick descending Mergulho corner leading to the last turn on to the pit straight.
The veteran ended the session in P19, just behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.
Norris and Piastri were far ahead of the remaining drivers, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber third fastest, 0.619secs slower than Piastri's pace.
Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was in fourth, with Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto in front of the Mercedes of George Russell and Alpine's Pierre Gasly and the Williams of Carlos Sainz.
