Norris Leads Piastri in Brazilian Practice Session
Lando Norris has outperformed Oscar Piastri at each of the previous five grands prix.
The McLaren driver just pipped fellow driver and title rival Oscar Piastri for the top spot in the closing stages of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who grabbed the championship lead from his teammate by one point after winning in Mexico City a fortnight back, beat the Australian by a mere 0.023s.
Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren for most of the session before the sprint shootout set to begin at 6:30 PM GMT.
Max Verstappen, the only other driver in the points battle, trailing with a 36-point deficit Norris, ended up in 17th position as his team followed a alternative strategy.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to have an incident, albeit lightly, when he spun at the fourth corner during the early running.
The Japanese spun out over the exit kerbs before rotating through the gravel trap, and was lucky to get away with just a slight brush of the wall.
The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the final moments of the session, turning around through the fast downhill Mergulho corner before the last turn on to the start-finish straight.
The veteran ended the session in 19th place, one place behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren drivers were far ahead of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's car third fastest, over half a second off Piastri's pace.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was in fourth, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto fifth from the Mercedes of Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Williams' Sainz.
