Lando Norris Leads Oscar Piastri in Brazilian Practice
Lando Norris has outperformed Oscar Piastri at all of the previous five race weekends.
Lando Norris narrowly beat team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the top spot in the final moments 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 Mexico City a fortnight back, outpaced the Australian by 0.023 seconds.
Until that point, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair throughout the hour before sprint qualifying scheduled for 18:30 GMT.
The Red Bull star, the only other driver in the championship fight, trailing with a 36-point deficit Norris, ended up in P17 as his team ran a alternative strategy.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the only driver to crash, if briefly, when he spun at corner four soon after starting.
The Japanese spun out over the curbs on exit before spinning across the run-off area, and was blessed to avoid just a light touch of the fence.
The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also lost it, at the final moments of the practice, rotating twice through the fast downhill Mergulho corner approaching the final corner on to the pit straight.
The seven-time champion finished practice in P19, one place behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren pair were well clear of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's car third fastest, 0.619 seconds behind the Australian's time.
The Aston Martin of the Spanish driver was fourth fastest, with the Sauber of Bortoleto fifth from Mercedes' Russell and Alpine's Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.
