🔗 Share this article Norris Tops Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Lando Norris has outscored Oscar Piastri at all of the previous five grands prix. The McLaren driver edged out fellow driver and title rival Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the closing stages of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The British racer, who took the points lead from his teammate by just one point after winning in Mexico City recently, topped the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds. Earlier in the session, Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver throughout the hour 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 ran a different programme. His teammate the Japanese driver was the only driver to go off, albeit lightly, when he rotated at Turn Four soon after starting. The Japanese lost control over the track edges before rotating through the escape zone, and was blessed to escape with just a slight brush of the barrier. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the very end of the practice, rotating twice through the fast downhill Mergulho corner before the final corner on to the pit straight. The veteran ended the session in P19, just behind teammate Charles Leclerc. The McLaren drivers were well clear of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber in third, over half a second slower than Piastri's best. The Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso was in fourth, with Sauber's Bortoleto fifth from Mercedes' George Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and Williams' Sainz.