Norris Leads Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session
Lando Norris has beaten Oscar Piastri at all of the past five race weekends.
The McLaren driver edged out team-mate and title rival Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the dying seconds of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The British racer, who seized the championship lead from his teammate by a single point after his victory in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, topped the Australian by a mere 0.023s.
Before then, Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair throughout the hour before sprint qualifying due at 18:30 GMT.
The Red Bull star, the only other driver in the championship fight, lying 36 points Norris, was classified in 17th place as his Red Bull team followed a unique setup.
Verstappen's team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to go off, if briefly, when he rotated at corner four soon after starting.
The Japanese lost control over the curbs on exit before sliding over the gravel trap, and was lucky to escape with just a slight brush of the barrier.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the very end of the session, rotating twice through the fast downhill corner approaching the final bend on to the main straight.
The seven-time champion finished practice in 19th, just behind team-mate the Monegasque driver.
Norris and Piastri were well clear of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber P3, over half a second behind Piastri's best.
The Aston Martin of the Spanish driver was in fourth, with Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto fifth from Mercedes' George Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and the Williams of Carlos Sainz.
