Lando Norris Leads Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session
Lando Norris has outperformed Oscar Piastri at each of the previous five grands prix.
The McLaren driver edged out fellow driver and title rival Oscar Piastri for the top spot in the final moments of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The British racer, who seized the title advantage from Piastri by one point after winning in Mexico City recently, topped the Melbourne-born driver by a mere 0.023s.
Before then, Piastri had been the leading McLaren throughout the hour before the sprint shootout set to begin at 6:30 PM GMT.
The Red Bull star, the other racer in the championship fight, trailing with a 36-point deficit Norris, was classified in P17 as his team followed a alternative strategy.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the only driver to have an incident, though minor, when he lost control at the fourth corner early in the session.
The Japanese lost control over the exit kerbs before rotating through the escape zone, and was fortunate to escape with just a minor contact of the wall.
The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the very end of the practice, rotating twice through the high-speed corner approaching the final corner on to the main straight.
The veteran finished practice in 19th, one place behind teammate the Monegasque driver.
The McLaren drivers were significantly quicker of the remaining drivers, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber P3, over half a second behind Piastri's pace.
The Aston Martin of the Spanish driver was in fourth, with the Sauber of Bortoleto in front of Mercedes' Russell and Alpine's Pierre Gasly and the Williams of Sainz.
