Lando Norris Leads Oscar Piastri in Brazilian Practice Session
The British driver has outscored Oscar Piastri at all of the last five race weekends.
Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and title rival the Australian for the top spot in the closing stages of practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Norris, who grabbed the points lead from his teammate by one point after his victory in the Mexican Grand Prix two weeks ago, topped the Melbourne-born driver by a mere 0.023s.
Until that point, Oscar Piastri had been the leading McLaren during the running before sprint qualifying scheduled for 18:30 GMT.
The Red Bull star, the only other driver in the points battle, trailing with a 36-point deficit behind Norris, was classified in P17 as his team opted for a alternative strategy.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the only driver to crash, if briefly, when he lost control at the fourth corner during the early running.
The Japanese lost control over the exit kerbs before spinning across the escape zone, and was fortunate to avoid just a minor contact of the fence.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also had a spin, at the conclusion of the practice, spinning around through the quick descending corner approaching the final bend on to the main straight.
Hamilton wrapped up in P19, just behind team-mate the Monegasque driver.
Norris and Piastri were well clear of the remaining drivers, with Nico Hulkenberg's car third fastest, over half a second off Piastri's pace.
Aston Martin's the Spanish driver was fourth fastest, with Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto fifth from Mercedes' George Russell and Alpine's Gasly and the Williams of Carlos Sainz.
