Norris Edges Out Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session

The McLaren driver edged out fellow driver and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the dying seconds of the practice session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Norris, who seized the championship lead from Piastri by one point after taking the win in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, topped the Melbourne-born driver by a mere 0.023s.

Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren for most of the session before sprint qualifying due at 6:30 PM GMT.

Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in realistic title contention, sitting 36 points Norris, finished in 17th place as his Red Bull team opted for a different programme.

Verstappen's team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to crash, albeit lightly, when he rotated at the fourth corner early in the session.

The Japanese lost control over the track edges before spinning across the gravel trap, and was fortunate to escape with just a slight brush of the fence.

The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also had a spin, at the very end of the practice, rotating twice through the quick descending corner before the final corner on to the pit straight.

Hamilton wrapped up in 19th, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc.

Norris and Piastri were far ahead of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber P3, 0.619secs off the Australian's time.

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