Norris Tops Piastri in Brazilian Practice
The British driver has beaten his teammate at each of the previous five race weekends.
The McLaren driver just pipped team-mate and championship contender the Australian for the fastest time in the closing stages of the practice session at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris, who grabbed the championship lead from Piastri by a single point after taking the win in Mexico City a fortnight back, outpaced the Melbourne-born driver by a mere 0.023s.
Until that point, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver throughout the hour before the sprint shootout due at the evening session.
Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, trailing with a 36-point deficit Norris, ended up in 17th position as his Red Bull team followed a different programme.
His teammate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, if briefly, when he rotated at the fourth corner during the early running.
The Japanese spun out over the curbs on exit before sliding over the escape zone, and was lucky to get away with just a light touch of the fence.
The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also spun, at the very end of the session, rotating twice through the fast downhill corner leading to the last turn on to the main straight.
The seven-time champion wrapped up in 19th, one place behind teammate the Monegasque driver.
The McLaren pair were significantly quicker of the rest of the field, with the German's car in third, 0.619secs behind the Australian's time.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was fourth quickest, with Sauber's Bortoleto in front of the Mercedes of Russell and Alpine's Pierre Gasly and the Williams of Sainz.
