Lando Norris Tops Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice

Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the closing stages of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Norris, who grabbed the points lead from Piastri by a single point after taking the win in Mexico City recently, outpaced the Australian by a mere 0.023s.

Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver for most of the session before sprint qualifying due at 6:30 PM GMT.

Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, sitting 36 points behind Norris, ended up in 17th place as his team opted for a alternative strategy.

Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to crash, albeit lightly, when he spun at corner four early in the session.

Tsunoda lost control over the track edges before rotating through the gravel trap, and was fortunate to avoid just a minor contact of the wall.

The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also lost it, at the conclusion of the practice, rotating twice through the fast downhill corner approaching the final bend on to the start-finish straight.

The seven-time champion wrapped up in 19th, just behind teammate the Monegasque driver.

Norris and Piastri were far ahead of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber P3, 0.619 seconds off the Australian's time.

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