Norris Leads Oscar Piastri in Brazilian Practice
Lando Norris has beaten his teammate at all of the last five race weekends.
Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the dying seconds of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who grabbed the title advantage from Piastri by a single point after taking the win in Mexico City a fortnight back, beat the Melbourne-born driver by a mere 0.023s.
Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren throughout the hour before sprint qualifying due at 6:30 PM GMT.
The Red Bull star, the other racer in the championship fight, trailing 36 points behind Norris, finished in 17th place as his Red Bull team followed a alternative strategy.
Verstappen's team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to go off, though minor, when he lost control at Turn Four during the early running.
Tsunoda lost control over the curbs on exit before sliding over the gravel trap, and was lucky to escape with just a minor contact of the barrier.
The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also had a spin, at the conclusion of the practice, rotating twice through the high-speed Mergulho turn approaching the final corner on to the start-finish straight.
The veteran ended the session in P19, just behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
Norris and Piastri were well clear of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's car third fastest, 0.619 seconds off Piastri's best.
The Aston Martin of the Spanish driver was fourth fastest, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto in front of Mercedes' George Russell and Alpine's Gasly and Williams' Sainz.
