Lando Norris Leads Oscar Piastri in Brazilian Practice Session
The British driver has outperformed Oscar Piastri at all of the previous five grands prix.
Lando Norris edged out team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the dying seconds of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who grabbed the title advantage from his teammate by one point after taking the win in Mexico City two weeks ago, beat the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.
Until that point, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair during the running before sprint qualifying scheduled for 18:30 GMT.
The Red Bull star, the only other driver in the championship fight, lying 36 points Norris, was classified in P17 as his Red Bull team opted for a different programme.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to go off, albeit lightly, when he spun at the fourth corner soon after starting.
Tsunoda spun out over the track edges before sliding over the escape zone, and was fortunate to get away with just a slight brush of the fence.
The Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the very end of the practice, turning around through the quick descending Mergulho corner before the last turn on to the main straight.
The veteran wrapped up in 19th, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren drivers were well clear of the other competitors, with the German's Sauber in third, 0.619 seconds off Piastri's pace.
The Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso was in fourth, with Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto in front of the Mercedes of Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and the Williams of Carlos Sainz.
