Lando Norris Edges Out Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice
Lando Norris has outscored his teammate at each of the last five race weekends.
The McLaren driver just pipped team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the top spot in the dying seconds of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who seized the title advantage from his teammate by just one point after his victory in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, topped the Australian by 0.023 seconds.
Until that point, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver throughout the hour before sprint qualifying scheduled for the evening session.
The Red Bull star, the other racer in the championship fight, trailing with a 36-point deficit Norris, finished in P17 as his team ran a unique setup.
Verstappen's team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was the only driver to have an incident, if briefly, when he rotated at Turn Four soon after starting.
The Japanese spun out over the exit kerbs before spinning across the run-off area, and was blessed to get away with just a light touch of the fence.
The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also had a spin, at the very end of the practice, turning around through the fast downhill Mergulho turn approaching the final bend on to the pit straight.
The veteran finished practice in P19, just behind team-mate the Monegasque driver.
Norris and Piastri were well clear of the other competitors, with the German's car in third, 0.619 seconds off 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 Pierre Gasly and the Williams of Sainz.
