Norris Edges Out Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session
Lando Norris has beaten Oscar Piastri at each of the last five race weekends.
Lando Norris edged out team-mate and championship contender the Australian for the fastest time in the final moments of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who seized the title advantage from his teammate by a single point after winning in Mexico City recently, beat the Melbourne-born driver by a mere 0.023s.
Earlier in the session, Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair during the running before sprint qualifying set to begin at 18:30 GMT.
Max Verstappen, the other racer in the points battle, trailing with a 36-point deficit behind Norris, finished in P17 as his team opted for a different programme.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the only driver to have an incident, if briefly, when he spun at the fourth corner during the early running.
The Japanese slid 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 the seven-time champion also spun, at the very end of the session, turning around through the fast downhill Mergulho turn leading to the last turn on to the start-finish straight.
The veteran finished practice in 19th place, trailing teammate the Monegasque driver.
Norris and Piastri were significantly quicker of the remaining drivers, with the German's Sauber third fastest, over half a second off Piastri's pace.
The Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso was fourth fastest, with the Sauber of Bortoleto ahead of the Mercedes of George Russell and Alpine's Gasly and the Williams of Carlos Sainz.
