🔗 Share this article

The McLaren driver just pipped team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the closing stages of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Norris, who grabbed the title advantage from Piastri by just one point after his victory in the Mexican Grand Prix two weeks ago, topped the Melbourne-born driver by a tiny margin of 0.023secs.

Before then, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver throughout the hour before the sprint shootout scheduled for the evening session.

Max Verstappen, the other racer in the championship fight, trailing 36 points behind behind Norris, ended up in P17 as his team ran a unique setup.

Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to have an incident, though minor, when he spun at the fourth corner during the early running.

Tsunoda spun out over the track edges before rotating through the run-off area, and was fortunate to escape with just a slight brush of the wall.

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also lost it, at the conclusion of the session, turning around through the quick descending Mergulho corner before the last turn on to the main straight.

The veteran ended the session in 19th place, just behind teammate Charles Leclerc.

Norris and Piastri were well clear of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber in third, over half a second slower than the Australian's time.

Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was in fourth, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto ahead of the Mercedes of George Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and Williams' Carlos Sainz.