Lando Norris Tops Oscar Piastri in Brazilian Practice Session
Lando Norris has outperformed Oscar Piastri at all of the previous five grands prix.
The McLaren driver edged out team-mate and title rival Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the dying seconds of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who took the title advantage from his teammate by just one point after his victory in Mexico City a fortnight back, topped the Melbourne-born driver by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.
Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair throughout the hour before the sprint shootout due at 18:30 GMT.
The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, trailing with a 36-point deficit Norris, was classified in 17th position as his team followed a different programme.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, if briefly, when he lost control at the fourth corner soon after starting.
The Japanese lost control over the track edges before sliding over the escape zone, and was fortunate to avoid just a slight brush of the fence.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the very end of the practice, turning around through the high-speed Mergulho corner approaching the final corner on to the main straight.
The veteran ended the session in 19th place, just behind teammate the Monegasque driver.
The McLaren pair were far ahead of the remaining drivers, with Nico Hulkenberg's car P3, 0.619 seconds slower than the Australian's time.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was fourth quickest, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto in front of the Mercedes of Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and the Williams of Sainz.