Lando Norris Tops Piastri in Brazilian Practice
Lando Norris has outperformed his teammate at all of the last five grands prix.
Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and title rival the Australian for the top spot in the closing stages of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who took the title advantage from his teammate by a single point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix recently, beat the Australian by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.
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.
The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, lying 36 points behind Norris, was classified in P17 as his team opted for a alternative strategy.
His teammate Yuki Tsunoda was the only driver to crash, though minor, when he spun at the fourth corner during the early running.
The Japanese slid over the exit kerbs before rotating through the run-off area, and was blessed to avoid just a slight brush of the barrier.
The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the conclusion of the practice, rotating twice through the fast downhill Mergulho turn approaching the final corner on to the pit straight.
Hamilton ended the session in 19th place, one place behind team-mate the Monegasque driver.
Norris and Piastri were well clear of the remaining drivers, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber in third, over half a second slower than Piastri's best.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was fourth fastest, with Sauber's Bortoleto fifth from the Mercedes of George Russell and Alpine's Pierre Gasly and the Williams of Sainz.
