Lando Norris Leads Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice

The McLaren driver narrowly beat fellow driver and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the closing stages of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Norris, who took the championship lead from Piastri by a single point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix two weeks ago, beat the Australian by a mere 0.023s.

Earlier in the session, Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair for most of the session before sprint qualifying scheduled for 6:30 PM GMT.

The Red Bull star, the other racer in realistic title contention, lying with a 36-point deficit behind Norris, was classified in 17th position as his team ran a different programme.

Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to crash, though minor, when he spun at corner four early in the session.

Tsunoda spun out over the curbs on exit before sliding over the run-off area, and was blessed to avoid just a minor contact of the fence.

The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also lost it, at the conclusion of the practice, turning around through the fast downhill Mergulho corner approaching the final corner on to the start-finish straight.

Hamilton ended the session in P19, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc.

Norris and Piastri were far ahead of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's car P3, 0.619secs behind Piastri's pace.

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