Lando Norris Leads Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session
Lando Norris has beaten Oscar Piastri at all of the previous five race weekends.
The McLaren driver just pipped team-mate and title rival Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the closing stages of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The British racer, who seized the championship lead from Piastri by one point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, outpaced the Melbourne-born driver by a mere 0.023s.
Until that point, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver during the running before the sprint shootout due at the evening session.
Max Verstappen, the only other driver in realistic title contention, sitting 36 points behind Norris, finished in 17th position as his Red Bull team opted for a different programme.
Verstappen's team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to go off, if briefly, when he rotated at Turn Four early in the session.
Tsunoda spun out over the exit kerbs before rotating through the run-off area, and was fortunate to get away with just a slight brush of the barrier.
The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the conclusion of the practice, turning around through the high-speed Mergulho turn leading to the last turn on to the main straight.
The seven-time champion finished practice in 19th, just behind team-mate the Monegasque driver.
The McLaren pair were significantly quicker of the remaining drivers, with Nico Hulkenberg's car in third, 0.619 seconds off Piastri's pace.
Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was in fourth, with the Sauber of Bortoleto fifth from the Mercedes of Russell and Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.
