Norris Edges Out Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session
Lando Norris has outperformed his teammate at all of the past five grands prix.
Lando Norris edged out team-mate and title rival the Australian for the quickest lap in the closing stages of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who seized the points lead from his teammate by a single point after taking the win in Mexico City a fortnight back, outpaced the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.
Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair for most of the session before sprint qualifying scheduled for 6:30 PM GMT.
Max Verstappen, the other racer in the championship fight, sitting with a 36-point deficit behind Norris, was classified in 17th place as his Red Bull team ran a alternative strategy.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, though minor, when he lost control at Turn Four soon after starting.
The Japanese slid over the curbs on exit before spinning across the run-off area, and was blessed to get away with just a slight brush of the barrier.
Ferrari's the seven-time champion also had a spin, at the final moments of the session, turning around through the quick descending Mergulho turn leading to the final corner on to the pit straight.
The veteran finished practice in 19th, one place behind team-mate the Monegasque driver.
Norris and Piastri were significantly quicker of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's car P3, over half a second off Piastri's pace.
Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was fourth fastest, with Sauber's Bortoleto in front of Mercedes' Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Williams' Sainz.
