Lando Norris Edges Out Piastri in Brazilian Practice
Lando Norris has outperformed Oscar Piastri at each of the last five race weekends.
Lando Norris narrowly beat team-mate and title rival the Australian for the quickest lap in the dying seconds of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The British racer, who grabbed the championship lead from Piastri by a single point after taking the win in Mexico City recently, beat the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.
Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver for most of the session before sprint qualifying scheduled for the evening session.
The Red Bull star, the other racer in realistic title contention, lying 36 points behind Norris, ended up in P17 as his Red Bull team followed a unique setup.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to crash, though minor, when he spun at Turn Four during the early running.
Tsunoda spun out over the track edges before sliding over the escape zone, and was lucky to get away with just a light touch of the wall.
The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the conclusion of the practice, spinning around through the quick descending Mergulho turn before the final corner on to the pit straight.
The veteran ended the session in 19th place, just behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren drivers were significantly quicker of the other competitors, with the German's car in third, over half a second behind Piastri's best.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was in fourth, with Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto in front of the Mercedes of Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and the Williams of Sainz.
