Lando Norris Leads Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice
Lando Norris has outperformed Oscar Piastri at all of the last five grands prix.
The McLaren driver just pipped team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the top spot in the closing stages of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris, who took the points lead from his teammate by a single point after taking the win in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, topped the Australian by a mere 0.023s.
Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren during the running before sprint qualifying scheduled for 18:30 GMT.
The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in the points battle, lying 36 points behind Norris, ended up in 17th place as his team followed a different programme.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, though minor, when he lost control at Turn Four early in the session.
The Japanese slid over the track edges before rotating through the run-off area, and was fortunate to avoid just a slight brush of the wall.
The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also spun, at the final moments of the session, rotating twice through the high-speed Mergulho corner before the last turn on to the pit straight.
The veteran wrapped up in 19th place, one place behind team-mate the Monegasque driver.
The McLaren pair were significantly quicker of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's car third fastest, 0.619 seconds off Piastri's pace.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was fourth fastest, with Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto ahead of the Mercedes of Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and the Williams of Sainz.
