Lando Norris Edges Out Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice
The British driver has outscored Oscar Piastri at each of the previous five grands prix.
Lando Norris narrowly beat fellow driver and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the top spot in the final moments of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The British racer, who seized the championship lead from Piastri by one point after winning in Mexico City recently, beat the Australian by 0.023 seconds.
Until that point, Piastri had been the leading McLaren for most of the session before the sprint shootout scheduled for the evening session.
The Red Bull star, the only other driver in the championship fight, trailing 36 points Norris, was classified in P17 as his team ran a alternative strategy.
His teammate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to go off, if briefly, when he rotated at corner four soon after starting.
Tsunoda slid over the exit kerbs before rotating through the run-off area, and was blessed to avoid just a minor contact of the barrier.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the very end of the practice, turning around through the fast downhill Mergulho corner approaching the final corner on to the main straight.
The veteran finished practice in P19, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren drivers were far ahead of the other competitors, with the German's car third fastest, 0.619 seconds slower than Piastri's pace.
The Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso was fourth quickest, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto ahead of Mercedes' Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.