Lando Norris Leads Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice
Lando Norris has outscored his teammate at each of the previous five race weekends.
Lando Norris just pipped fellow driver and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the closing stages of the practice session at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris, who took the title advantage from his teammate by just one point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix recently, outpaced the Melbourne-born driver by a mere 0.023s.
Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren throughout the hour before sprint qualifying set to begin at the evening session.
The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, trailing 36 points behind Norris, was classified in P17 as his Red Bull team opted for a alternative strategy.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to go off, though minor, when he lost control at the fourth corner soon after starting.
Tsunoda spun out over the exit kerbs before spinning across the gravel trap, and was blessed to get away with just a light touch of the wall.
Ferrari's the seven-time champion also lost it, at the conclusion of the practice, rotating twice through the high-speed Mergulho corner before the last turn on to the main straight.
The seven-time champion ended the session in 19th place, trailing teammate the Monegasque driver.
Norris and Piastri were far ahead of the remaining drivers, with the German's Sauber in third, 0.619secs behind Piastri's best.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was fourth quickest, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto in front of Mercedes' Russell and Alpine's Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.
