Norris Tops Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice
The British driver has beaten Oscar Piastri at all of the previous five grands prix.
Lando Norris edged out fellow driver and title rival the Australian for the top spot in the dying seconds of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who took the championship lead from Piastri by just one point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix recently, topped the Australian by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.
Before then, Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair throughout the hour before sprint qualifying due at the evening session.
Max Verstappen, the other racer in realistic title contention, lying with a 36-point deficit Norris, ended up in 17th position as his team followed a different programme.
Verstappen's team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to go off, if briefly, when he lost control at corner four during the early running.
Tsunoda lost control over the exit kerbs before rotating through the escape zone, and was blessed to escape with just a minor contact of the barrier.
Ferrari's the seven-time champion also spun, at the final moments of the practice, rotating twice through the fast downhill Mergulho corner before the last turn on to the main straight.
Hamilton wrapped up in P19, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc.
Norris and Piastri were far ahead of the rest of the field, with the German's Sauber third fastest, over half a second slower than Piastri's best.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was fourth quickest, with Sauber's Bortoleto in front of the Mercedes of Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.
