Norris Leads Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice

Lando Norris edged out team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the top spot in the dying seconds of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Norris, who took the points lead from Piastri by one point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, beat the Melbourne-born driver by a mere 0.023s.

Before then, Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver for most of the session before the sprint shootout set to begin at the evening session.

The Red Bull star, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, sitting 36 points Norris, finished in 17th place as his Red Bull team opted for a different programme.

His teammate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to go off, if briefly, when he lost control at Turn Four early in the session.

The Japanese slid over the curbs on exit before sliding over the run-off area, and was lucky to get away with just a light touch of the wall.

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also had a spin, at the very end of the session, spinning around through the high-speed Mergulho corner before the final corner on to the pit straight.

The seven-time champion finished practice in P19, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc.

Norris and Piastri were far ahead of the other competitors, with the German's Sauber in third, over half a second off Piastri's best.

The Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso was fourth fastest, with the Sauber of Bortoleto fifth from the Mercedes of Russell and Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Williams' Sainz.