Lando Norris Edges Out Oscar Piastri in Brazilian Practice
Lando Norris has beaten Oscar Piastri at each of the last five race weekends.
Lando Norris edged out fellow driver and championship contender the Australian for the fastest time in the dying seconds of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The British racer, who took the title advantage from Piastri by one point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix recently, topped the Australian by 0.023 seconds.
Earlier in the session, Piastri had been the leading McLaren throughout the hour before sprint qualifying scheduled for the evening session.
Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, sitting with a 36-point deficit behind Norris, finished in 17th position as his Red Bull team ran a unique setup.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to crash, though minor, when he rotated at Turn Four soon after starting.
The Japanese spun out over the exit kerbs before spinning across the escape zone, and was blessed to get away with just a slight brush of the barrier.
The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also had a spin, at the final moments of the session, turning around through the fast downhill Mergulho turn leading to the last turn on to the start-finish straight.
The seven-time champion ended the session in P19, trailing teammate the Monegasque driver.
The McLaren pair were well clear of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's car in third, 0.619secs slower than Piastri's pace.
The Aston Martin of the Spanish driver was in fourth, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto fifth from the Mercedes of George Russell and Alpine's Gasly and the Williams of Carlos Sainz.
