🔗 Share this article Norris Leads Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session Lando Norris has beaten Oscar Piastri at each of the previous five grands prix. Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and title rival the Australian for the top spot in the closing stages of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Norris, who took the championship lead from Piastri by a single point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, beat the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds. Before then, Piastri had been the leading McLaren for most of the session before sprint qualifying scheduled for 18:30 GMT. Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in realistic title contention, lying 36 points Norris, was classified in P17 as his team ran a different programme. Verstappen's team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to have an incident, albeit lightly, when he rotated at corner four soon after starting. The Japanese spun out over the curbs on exit before sliding over the gravel trap, and was lucky to get away with just a light touch of the fence. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also had a spin, at the conclusion of the session, spinning around through the quick descending Mergulho corner before the last turn on to the start-finish straight. Hamilton ended the session in 19th place, trailing team-mate the Monegasque driver. The McLaren drivers were well clear of the other competitors, with the German's car third fastest, over half a second behind Piastri's best. The Aston Martin of the Spanish driver was fourth quickest, with Sauber's Bortoleto ahead of Mercedes' Russell and Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.