Lando Norris Tops Oscar Piastri in Brazilian Practice
Lando Norris has beaten Oscar Piastri at each of the past five race weekends.
Lando Norris just pipped fellow driver and title rival the Australian for the top spot in the dying seconds of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who seized the championship lead from Piastri by one point after taking the win in Mexico City a fortnight back, outpaced the Australian by 0.023 seconds.
Until that point, Piastri had been the leading McLaren during the running before the sprint shootout due at 6:30 PM GMT.
Max Verstappen, the other racer in the championship fight, lying with a 36-point deficit behind Norris, was classified in P17 as his Red Bull team opted for a alternative strategy.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the only driver to crash, albeit lightly, when he lost control at corner four early in the session.
Tsunoda slid over the curbs on exit before spinning across the run-off area, and was lucky to avoid just a light touch of the fence.
Ferrari's the seven-time champion also had a spin, at the very end of the session, turning around through the quick descending Mergulho turn leading to the last turn on to the main straight.
The veteran ended the session in 19th, just behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
Norris and Piastri were well clear of the remaining drivers, with the German's Sauber P3, 0.619secs behind Piastri's best.
The Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso was fourth fastest, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto in front of the Mercedes of Russell and Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.
