Norris Leads Piastri in Brazilian Practice Session

The McLaren driver just pipped fellow driver and title rival Oscar Piastri for the top spot in the final moments of the practice session at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Norris, who grabbed the championship lead from his teammate by a single point after his victory in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, outpaced the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.

Until that point, Oscar Piastri had been the quickest of the McLaren pair throughout the hour before the sprint shootout due at the evening session.

Max Verstappen, the other racer in the points battle, trailing with a 36-point deficit Norris, ended up in 17th place as his team ran a different programme.

His teammate Yuki Tsunoda was the sole competitor to crash, though minor, when he spun at the fourth corner during the early running.

Tsunoda spun out over the track edges before sliding over the gravel trap, and was blessed to get away with just a light touch of the barrier.

Ferrari's the seven-time champion also lost it, at the final moments of the practice, turning around through the quick descending Mergulho turn before the final corner on to the main straight.

Hamilton finished practice in 19th place, just behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.

The McLaren pair were far ahead of the rest of the field, with Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber P3, 0.619secs slower than Piastri's pace.

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