Lando Norris Edges Out Piastri in Brazilian Practice
Lando Norris has outscored Oscar Piastri at each of the last five race weekends.
The McLaren driver just pipped team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the final moments of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The British racer, who seized the championship lead from his teammate by a single point after his victory in Mexico City recently, outpaced the Australian by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.
Until that point, Piastri had been the leading McLaren during the running before sprint qualifying set to begin at 18:30 GMT.
Max Verstappen, the other racer in realistic title contention, lying with a 36-point deficit behind Norris, was classified in P17 as his team ran a alternative strategy.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to go off, if briefly, when he lost control at Turn Four during the early running.
The Japanese lost control over the track edges before sliding over the run-off area, and was fortunate to avoid just a minor contact of the wall.
The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also lost it, at the very end of the practice, rotating twice through the fast downhill Mergulho turn approaching the final bend on to the pit straight.
The seven-time champion wrapped up in P19, trailing team-mate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren drivers were far ahead of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber P3, over half a second behind the Australian's time.
Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was fourth quickest, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto fifth from the Mercedes of George Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and Williams' Sainz.
