Lando Norris Edges Out Piastri in Brazilian Practice

The McLaren driver narrowly beat team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the top spot in the dying seconds of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The British racer, who took the championship lead from Piastri by one point after taking the win in the Mexican Grand Prix recently, topped the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.

Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver during the running before sprint qualifying due at the evening session.

Max Verstappen, the only other driver in realistic title contention, sitting with a 36-point deficit Norris, was classified in 17th position as his team followed a unique setup.

Verstappen's team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to crash, if briefly, when he rotated at corner four during the early running.

Tsunoda slid over the exit kerbs before spinning across the run-off area, and was lucky to avoid just a light touch of the fence.

The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also lost it, at the very end of the practice, spinning around through the fast downhill corner leading to the final corner on to the pit straight.

The seven-time champion ended the session in 19th, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc.

The McLaren drivers were far ahead of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber third fastest, over half a second off Piastri's pace.

The Aston Martin of the Spanish driver was in fourth, with Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto ahead of the Mercedes of Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Williams' Sainz.