Norris Tops Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session
The British driver has outscored his teammate at all of the last five race weekends.
Lando Norris just pipped fellow driver and title rival Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the closing stages of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The British racer, who seized the championship lead from Piastri by just one point after winning in Mexico City recently, beat the Australian by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.
Until that point, Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair throughout the hour before the sprint shootout due at the evening session.
Max Verstappen, the only other driver in realistic title contention, trailing with a 36-point deficit behind Norris, was classified in P17 as his team opted for a alternative strategy.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, albeit lightly, when he lost control at the fourth corner during the early running.
Tsunoda lost control over the track edges before rotating through the gravel trap, and was blessed to escape with just a light touch of the fence.
Ferrari's the seven-time champion also spun, at the final moments of the session, rotating twice through the fast downhill corner before the final bend on to the pit straight.
The veteran wrapped up in 19th place, trailing team-mate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren drivers were well clear of the remaining drivers, with the German's Sauber P3, over half a second slower than Piastri's best.
Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was in fourth, with the Sauber of Bortoleto ahead of the Mercedes of Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.
