Lando Norris Leads Piastri in Brazilian Practice
Lando Norris has beaten his teammate at each of the past five race weekends.
Lando Norris edged out team-mate and championship contender the Australian for the quickest lap in the closing stages of the practice session at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris, who took the championship lead from Piastri by a single point after his victory in Mexico City recently, beat the Australian by 0.023 seconds.
Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver for most of the session before the sprint shootout set to begin at the evening session.
The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in realistic title contention, trailing with a 36-point deficit behind Norris, ended up in P17 as his team opted for a alternative strategy.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, if briefly, when he rotated at corner four soon after starting.
The Japanese spun out over the exit kerbs before spinning across the gravel trap, and was lucky to avoid just a minor contact of the barrier.
The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the final moments of the session, turning around through the fast downhill corner approaching the final corner on to the main straight.
The seven-time champion finished practice in P19, just behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren drivers were well clear of the remaining drivers, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber in third, 0.619 seconds behind Piastri's pace.
The Aston Martin of the Spanish driver was fourth quickest, with Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto in front of Mercedes' Russell and Alpine's Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.
