Lando Norris Leads Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session
The British driver has beaten Oscar Piastri at all of the past five race weekends.
The McLaren driver just pipped team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the quickest lap in the closing stages of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The British racer, who took the championship lead from his teammate by one point after winning in the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight back, outpaced the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.
Earlier in the session, Piastri had been the leading McLaren for most of the session before the sprint shootout scheduled for the evening session.
The Red Bull star, the only other driver in the championship fight, sitting 36 points behind Norris, ended up in 17th position as his Red Bull team followed a unique setup.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to crash, though minor, when he rotated at Turn Four during the early running.
The Japanese lost control over the track edges before spinning across the gravel trap, and was blessed to get away with just a light touch of the barrier.
The Ferrari of the seven-time champion also had a spin, at the very end of the practice, turning around through the fast downhill Mergulho turn approaching the last turn on to the pit straight.
The veteran wrapped up in P19, just behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.
The McLaren drivers were significantly quicker of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's car in third, 0.619secs behind the Australian's time.
The Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso was fourth fastest, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto fifth from the Mercedes of George Russell and the Alpine of Gasly and the Williams of Sainz.