Norris Tops Piastri in Brazilian Practice Session

The McLaren driver just pipped fellow driver and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the closing stages of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Norris, who took the championship lead from Piastri by just one point after winning in Mexico City two weeks ago, beat the Australian by 0.023 seconds.

Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver during the running before the sprint shootout scheduled for the evening session.

The Red Bull star, the only other driver in the points battle, sitting 36 points behind Norris, finished in 17th position as his Red Bull team followed a unique setup.

His teammate Yuki Tsunoda was the only driver to have an incident, if briefly, when he lost control at corner four early in the session.

The Japanese lost control over the exit kerbs before sliding over the run-off area, and was lucky to escape with just a slight brush of the wall.

The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also lost it, at the very end of the session, turning around through the fast downhill Mergulho turn leading to the final bend on to the pit straight.

The veteran finished practice in P19, trailing team-mate the Monegasque driver.

The McLaren pair were far ahead of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber in third, 0.619 seconds off Piastri's best.

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was fourth quickest, with the Sauber of Bortoleto fifth from the Mercedes of George Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.