Lando Norris Edges Out Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice

Lando Norris just pipped fellow driver and title rival the Australian for the quickest lap in the dying seconds of the practice session at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Norris, who took the championship lead from Piastri by a single point after taking the win in the Mexican Grand Prix two weeks ago, topped the Australian by 0.023 seconds.

Until that point, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver throughout the hour before sprint qualifying due at the evening session.

The Red Bull star, the only other driver in the championship fight, lying 36 points behind behind Norris, finished in P17 as his team ran a unique setup.

His teammate the Japanese driver was the only driver to crash, if briefly, when he lost control at Turn Four during the early running.

Tsunoda 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.

The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also spun, at the final moments of the practice, rotating twice through the high-speed Mergulho turn approaching the final corner on to the pit straight.

The veteran ended the session in 19th, one place behind team-mate the Monegasque driver.

Norris and Piastri were far ahead of the rest of the field, with the German's Sauber third fastest, over half a second behind Piastri's best.

The Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso was fourth fastest, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto in front of the Mercedes of George Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.