Norris Edges Out Piastri in Brazilian Practice
Lando Norris has outperformed Oscar Piastri at all of the last five race weekends.
Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and championship contender the Australian for the top spot in the final moments of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The British racer, who seized the points lead from Piastri by just one point after taking the win in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, outpaced the Melbourne-born driver by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.
Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair for most of the session before sprint qualifying scheduled for 18:30 GMT.
Max Verstappen, the other racer in the championship fight, lying with a 36-point deficit behind Norris, ended up in 17th place as his team ran a alternative strategy.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to crash, if briefly, when he rotated at Turn Four soon after starting.
Tsunoda spun out over the track edges before sliding over the gravel trap, and was blessed to avoid just a light touch of the fence.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the final moments of the session, spinning around through the high-speed Mergulho turn approaching the final bend on to the main straight.
The seven-time champion wrapped up in P19, one place behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.
Norris and Piastri were well clear of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's car in third, 0.619secs behind Piastri's pace.
The Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso was fourth quickest, with the Sauber of Bortoleto fifth from Mercedes' George Russell and Alpine's Gasly and Williams' Sainz.
