Lando Norris Tops Piastri in Brazilian Practice Session
The British driver has outperformed his teammate at all of the last five grands prix.
Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and title rival Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the closing stages of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris, who took the title advantage from his teammate by just one point after winning in Mexico City two weeks ago, topped the Australian by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.
Until that point, Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair for most of the session before the sprint shootout due at 6:30 PM GMT.
The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, trailing with a 36-point deficit Norris, was classified in P17 as his team opted for a alternative strategy.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, if briefly, when he rotated at corner four soon after starting.
The Japanese spun out over the track edges before spinning across the escape zone, and was fortunate to get away with just a light touch of the fence.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also had a spin, at the conclusion of the practice, rotating twice through the fast downhill Mergulho turn leading to the last turn on to the start-finish straight.
Hamilton ended the session in 19th place, trailing teammate the Monegasque driver.
Norris and Piastri were well clear of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's car third fastest, 0.619secs behind the Australian's time.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was in fourth, with Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto ahead of the Mercedes of Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and Williams' Sainz.
