Norris Edges Out Piastri in Brazilian Practice Session
Lando Norris has outscored Oscar Piastri at all of the past five grands prix.
Lando Norris edged out team-mate and title rival the Australian for the fastest time in the final moments of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris, who took the title advantage from his teammate by one point after taking the win in the Mexican Grand Prix recently, beat the Australian by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.
Until that point, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren throughout the hour before sprint qualifying scheduled for 6:30 PM GMT.
The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, sitting with a 36-point deficit Norris, finished in 17th place as his team ran a different programme.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to go off, though minor, when he lost control at the fourth corner soon after starting.
The Japanese lost control over the curbs on exit before rotating through the run-off area, and was fortunate to get away with just a slight brush of the barrier.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the very end of the session, spinning around through the fast downhill Mergulho turn before the last turn on to the pit straight.
The seven-time champion wrapped up in 19th place, just behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren drivers were well clear of the rest of the field, with the German's Sauber P3, 0.619 seconds behind Piastri's pace.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was in fourth, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto in front of Mercedes' Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Williams' Sainz.
