Norris Edges Out Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session
Lando Norris has outscored Oscar Piastri at all of the past five race weekends.
The McLaren driver narrowly beat fellow driver and title rival the Australian for the quickest lap in the dying seconds of the practice session at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The British racer, who grabbed the title advantage from Piastri by just one point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, beat the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.
Earlier in the session, Piastri had been the leading McLaren during the running before the sprint shootout due at the evening session.
The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in realistic title contention, trailing with a 36-point deficit Norris, was classified in P17 as his team ran a alternative strategy.
His teammate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to crash, though minor, when he lost control at the fourth corner during the early running.
The Japanese spun out over the track edges before sliding over the run-off area, and was lucky to get away with just a light touch of the wall.
The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the final moments of the practice, spinning around through the high-speed corner leading to the final corner on to the start-finish straight.
The seven-time champion finished practice in 19th, trailing teammate the Monegasque driver.
Norris and Piastri were well clear of the remaining drivers, with the German's car P3, over half a second behind Piastri's best.
Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was in fourth, with the Sauber of Bortoleto fifth from the Mercedes of Russell and Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Williams' Sainz.
