Lando Norris has landed another blow on Oscar Piastri, topping the timesheets in practice for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The Briton, who is one point clear of Piastri in the championship, was “not feeling quite as comfortable” with his car, making his performance all the more impressive. Norris’s lap time of 1:09.975 seconds on medium tyres edges out Piastri, who was just 0.023 seconds slower.
McLaren’s dominance was evident, with Norris and Piastri leaving the rest of the field in their wake. Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg was third, 0.619 seconds off the pace, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton struggled, qualifying 18th and 19th, respectively. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, was 17th, lacking pace on the medium tyres.
The championship battle between Norris and Piastri is heating up, with the pair separated by just one point. McLaren boss Andrea Stella has praised the drivers for their collaboration, saying it’s unprecedented in F1 history. The team’s focus is on securing the drivers’ title with Stella emphasizing on working together to achieve .
As the field prepares for the sprint race, severe weather threats loom large. Heavy rain and strong winds are expected, with the FIA issuing a level 4 weather warning. The forecast has caused concern among teams and drivers, with the possibility of qualifying being moved to Sunday morning if conditions worsen.
Norris, who won last year’s sprint, is looking to extend his lead over Piastri. “We did the job we needed to do,” he said. “Trickier than Mexico, but it’s a great result.” Piastri, determined to bounce back, vowed to “fight with what we’ve got.” The sprint race promises to be an intense battle, with the championship hanging in the balance.
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