Lando Norris Tops Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice

The McLaren driver edged out team-mate and title rival Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the dying seconds of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The British racer, who seized the championship lead from his teammate by one point after his victory in Mexico City two weeks ago, beat the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.

Until that point, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver for most of the session before sprint qualifying scheduled for the evening session.

Max Verstappen, the only other driver in the points battle, lying 36 points behind Norris, finished in 17th place as his team opted for a different programme.

Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to have an incident, though minor, when he spun at the fourth corner during the early running.

Tsunoda slid over the track edges before rotating through the escape zone, and was fortunate to avoid just a minor contact of the wall.

Ferrari's the seven-time champion also lost it, at the final moments of the practice, turning around through the fast downhill Mergulho corner approaching the final corner on to the main straight.

Hamilton ended the session in 19th, just behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.

Norris and Piastri were far ahead of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's car third fastest, over half a second off Piastri's pace.

The Aston Martin of the Spanish driver was fourth fastest, with the Sauber of Bortoleto ahead of the Mercedes of George Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and the Williams of Sainz.