Lando Norris Edges Out Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice
The British driver has outperformed his teammate at each of the previous five race weekends.
Lando Norris edged out team-mate and title rival Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the final moments of the practice session at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris, who seized the championship lead from Piastri by just one point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix recently, beat the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.
Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver throughout the hour before the sprint shootout due at 18:30 GMT.
The Red Bull star, the other racer in the points battle, trailing 36 points behind behind Norris, finished in 17th place as his team followed a unique setup.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to have an incident, though minor, when he lost control at the fourth corner early in the session.
The Japanese lost control over the exit kerbs before rotating through the gravel trap, and was fortunate to escape with just a minor contact of the fence.
The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also spun, at the very end of the practice, rotating twice through the quick descending Mergulho corner approaching the final corner on to the main straight.
Hamilton wrapped up in 19th place, just behind team-mate the Monegasque driver.
The McLaren drivers were well clear of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber third fastest, 0.619 seconds off Piastri's best.
The Aston Martin of the Spanish driver was fourth quickest, with Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto in front of Mercedes' Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Williams' Sainz.
