Norris Leads Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice
Lando Norris has beaten Oscar Piastri at each of the last five race weekends.
The McLaren driver narrowly beat team-mate and title rival Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the closing stages of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris, who grabbed the points lead from his teammate by one point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, topped the Melbourne-born driver by a mere 0.023s.
Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair during the running before the sprint shootout set to begin at the evening session.
Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in the points battle, trailing with a 36-point deficit Norris, was classified in 17th position as his Red Bull team ran a unique setup.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to go off, if briefly, when he rotated at the fourth corner soon after starting.
The Japanese spun out over the curbs on exit before spinning across the gravel trap, and was blessed to get away with just a light touch of the barrier.
The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the final moments of the practice, rotating twice through the quick descending Mergulho turn leading to the last turn on to the main straight.
Hamilton finished practice in 19th, one place behind team-mate the Monegasque driver.
The McLaren drivers were significantly quicker of the other competitors, with the German's car P3, 0.619secs off Piastri's pace.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was in fourth, with Sauber's Bortoleto in front of Mercedes' George Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and the Williams of Carlos Sainz.
