Lando Norris Edges Out Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice Session
The British driver has outscored his teammate at each of the previous five grands prix.
The McLaren driver edged out team-mate and title rival the Australian for the fastest time in the closing stages of practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris, who seized the championship lead from Piastri by one point after winning in Mexico City recently, beat the Melbourne-born driver by 0.023 seconds.
Earlier in the session, Oscar Piastri had been the fastest McLaren driver for most of the session before the sprint shootout set to begin at the evening session.
The Red Bull star, the other racer in the points battle, sitting 36 points behind Norris, finished in P17 as his Red Bull team ran a alternative strategy.
Verstappen's team-mate the Japanese driver was the sole competitor to crash, if briefly, when he spun at corner four during the early running.
The Japanese slid over the exit kerbs before rotating through the run-off area, and was fortunate to get away with just a slight brush of the barrier.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also spun, at the conclusion of the session, rotating twice through the quick descending Mergulho turn approaching the last turn on to the pit straight.
The seven-time champion wrapped up in 19th place, just behind team-mate the Monegasque driver.
The McLaren drivers were far ahead of the rest of the field, with the German's Sauber P3, 0.619 seconds behind Piastri's pace.
The Aston Martin of the Spanish driver was in fourth, with the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto ahead of the Mercedes of George Russell and Alpine's Pierre Gasly and the Williams of Sainz.
