Lando Norris Edges Out Piastri in Brazilian Practice
The British driver has beaten Oscar Piastri at all of the last five race weekends.
Lando Norris edged out team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the dying seconds of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who grabbed the points lead from Piastri by a single point after his victory in Mexico City two weeks ago, beat the Australian by 0.023 seconds.
Until that point, Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver for most of the session before sprint qualifying scheduled for 18:30 GMT.
The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, trailing with a 36-point deficit Norris, finished in P17 as his team opted for a different programme.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to go off, though minor, when he spun at the fourth corner soon after starting.
Tsunoda lost control over the track edges before sliding over the escape zone, and was blessed to escape with just a minor contact of the barrier.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the very end of the practice, turning around through the high-speed Mergulho turn before the final corner on to the pit straight.
The veteran ended the session in 19th, trailing team-mate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren drivers were well clear of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's car in third, over half a second behind Piastri's best.
The Aston Martin of the Spanish driver was fourth fastest, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto fifth from the Mercedes of Russell and Alpine's Gasly and the Williams of Sainz.
