Norris Leads Piastri in Brazilian Practice
The British driver has beaten his teammate at all of the past five grands prix.
Lando Norris narrowly beat fellow driver and title rival 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 one point after taking the win in the Mexican Grand Prix two weeks ago, topped the Melbourne-born driver by a mere 0.023s.
Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren for most of the session before the sprint shootout due at the evening session.
Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, trailing 36 points behind behind Norris, finished in P17 as his team ran a different programme.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to go off, though minor, when he rotated at the fourth corner during the early running.
Tsunoda lost control over the curbs on exit before rotating through the run-off area, and was blessed to avoid just a slight brush of the barrier.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the final moments of the practice, turning around through the fast downhill Mergulho turn before the final corner on to the main straight.
The seven-time champion ended the session in 19th, just behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren pair were well clear of the remaining drivers, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber third fastest, 0.619secs off Piastri's pace.
Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was fourth fastest, with the Sauber of Bortoleto in front of Mercedes' George Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and the Williams of Sainz.
