Norris Leads Piastri in Brazilian Practice Session
Lando Norris has outperformed Oscar Piastri at each of the previous five race weekends.
The McLaren driver edged out fellow driver and championship contender the Australian for the quickest lap in the final moments of the practice session at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris, who seized the points lead from Piastri by a single point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, outpaced the Australian by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.
Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair for most of the session before the sprint shootout due at the evening session.
Max Verstappen, the other racer in realistic title contention, lying with a 36-point deficit Norris, finished in P17 as his Red Bull team ran a alternative strategy.
His teammate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to crash, though minor, when he lost control at Turn Four during the early running.
Tsunoda lost control over the track edges before sliding over the escape zone, and was blessed to avoid just a minor contact of the wall.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the conclusion of the practice, spinning around through the quick descending corner before the last turn on to the pit straight.
The veteran wrapped up in P19, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc.
Norris and Piastri were well clear of the other competitors, with the German's car P3, over half a second off Piastri's pace.
Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was in fourth, with Sauber's Bortoleto in front of Mercedes' Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and Williams' Sainz.
