Lando Norris Edges Out Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session
Lando Norris has outscored his teammate at each of the last five race weekends.
The McLaren driver edged out team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the dying seconds of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who seized the title advantage from Piastri by a single point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, outpaced the Australian by 0.023 seconds.
Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren for most of the session before sprint qualifying scheduled for the evening session.
Max Verstappen, the other racer in the championship fight, trailing 36 points behind behind Norris, ended up in P17 as his team followed a alternative strategy.
Verstappen's team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to go off, though minor, when he spun at the fourth corner early in the session.
Tsunoda slid over the exit kerbs before rotating through the run-off area, and was fortunate to avoid just a light touch of the fence.
The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the very end of the practice, rotating twice through the fast downhill corner before the final corner on to the pit straight.
The veteran finished practice in P19, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren pair were well clear of the rest of the field, with the German's car third fastest, 0.619secs behind Piastri's pace.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was fourth fastest, with the Sauber of Bortoleto ahead of the Mercedes of George Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.
