Norris Edges Out Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session
Lando Norris has outscored Oscar Piastri at all of the previous five race weekends.
The McLaren driver narrowly beat fellow driver and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the closing stages of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The British racer, who grabbed the points lead from Piastri by a single point after winning in Mexico City two weeks ago, topped the Australian by a mere 0.023s.
Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren for most of the session before the sprint shootout due at 18:30 GMT.
Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in the points battle, sitting with a 36-point deficit Norris, was classified in P17 as his Red Bull team followed a alternative strategy.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to crash, albeit lightly, when he lost control at Turn Four soon after starting.
The Japanese spun out over the curbs on exit before sliding over the run-off area, and was fortunate to get away with just a light touch of the fence.
Ferrari's the seven-time champion also spun, at the very end of the session, spinning around through the quick descending corner approaching the final bend on to the main straight.
The veteran ended the session in P19, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc.
Norris and Piastri were far ahead of the rest of the field, with the German's Sauber in third, 0.619secs slower than the Australian's time.
Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was fourth quickest, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto fifth from the Mercedes of Russell and Alpine's Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.