Norris Tops Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice
Lando Norris has beaten Oscar Piastri at all of the previous five grands prix.
Lando Norris edged out fellow driver and championship contender the Australian for the quickest lap in the final moments of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris, who seized the points lead from Piastri by a single point after his victory in Mexico City recently, beat the Australian by a mere 0.023s.
Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver during the running before the sprint shootout set to begin at 6:30 PM GMT.
Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in the points battle, trailing 36 points behind Norris, ended up in 17th position as his Red Bull team followed a alternative strategy.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to go off, if briefly, when he spun at Turn Four early in the session.
The Japanese slid over the exit kerbs before sliding over the run-off area, and was fortunate to avoid just a minor contact of the fence.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the very end of the practice, spinning around through the fast downhill Mergulho turn approaching the final corner on to the main straight.
The seven-time champion ended the session in 19th place, just behind teammate the Monegasque driver.
Norris and Piastri were far ahead of the remaining drivers, with Nico Hulkenberg's car P3, 0.619 seconds slower than Piastri's best.
The Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso was fourth quickest, with Sauber's Bortoleto in front of Mercedes' George Russell and Alpine's Gasly and the Williams of Carlos Sainz.
