Lando Norris Photo: photosport
Formula 1 championship leader Lando Norris struck an early blow against McLaren teammate and title rival Oscar Piastri as he led a dominant one-two in sole practice for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
New Zealand's Liam Lawson was 11th fastest for Racing Bulls to kick-start a busy weekend which features a sprint race on Sunday morning (NZT) followed by the main race on Monday.
Briton Norris, one point clear of the Australian with four rounds remaining, lapped the Interlagos circuit with a best time of one minute 09.975 seconds on medium tyres.
Piastri, who lost the lead to Norris in Mexico last month, ended up 0.023 slower after his teammate set the best time with his last flying lap of the session.
McLaren, who have already won the constructors' title for a second year in a row, again looked significantly faster than the rest.
Drivers get only one practice due to it being a sprint weekend, fifth of six this season, with the usual second practice becoming qualifying for Saturday's 100km race.
Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg was third fastest, 0.619 off the pace, with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso fourth.
Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, Hulkenberg's teammate preparing for a first home race, was fifth on the timesheets with Mercedes' George Russell sixth and Alpine's Pierre Gasly a surprising seventh.
Williams' Carlos Sainz, who missed Thursday's media day due to feeling unwell, was eighth ahead of Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar and Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was 18th and Lewis Hamilton, a three times winner in Brazil, 19th with Red Bull's Max Verstappen - the closest title rival to the McLaren pair - only 17th but without any running on the medium tyre.
Both Ferrari drivers stuck with the hard tyres for the session, Hamilton spinning at turn 11 in the final seconds.
Verstappen, 36 points off the lead, won from 17th in Brazil last year.
Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. Photo: FLORENT GOODEN / PHOTOSPORT
Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda spun on the kerb and thumped into the barriers at turn four early in the session, continuing back to the pits with damage to the front and rear wings.
The Japanese returned after repairs, with 25 minutes remaining.
"You never want to start the session like that. These things happen," team boss Laurent Mekies told Sky Sports television.
Colapinto staying at Alpine
Meanwhile, Argentinean driver Franco Colapinto will continue alongside experienced Frenchman Pierre Gasly at Alpine next season, the Renault-owned team announced.
Argentinian F1 driver Franco Colapinto. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
While race-winner Gasly has a contract to the end of 2028, Colapinto's future had remained uncertain while the team assessed their options with Estonian Paul Aron also considered.
The 22-year-old Colapinto, who replaced Australian rookie Jack Doohan after the first six races of the season, remains the only driver on the starting grid yet to score a point in 2025.
"Ever since I made my Formula 1 debut, I knew, given the circumstances at play, it would be a huge challenge to keep my place in this sport," the Argentinean said in a team statement ahead of practice at Interlagos.
"It has been a long and tough road, and I am very proud for the opportunity to drive with this team again in 2026, alongside Pierre, who has been a great teammate and will undoubtedly be someone I can continue to learn from."
The British-based team will also be switching from less competitive Renault engines to Mercedes power units next season.
Alpine were champions in their former guises of Benetton and Renault and are on a mission to return to the top.
Colapinto, who has racked up several costly crashes but has big financial and fan support, has been more competitive in recent qualifying against his teammate but the car lacks the performance to challenge for points in normal conditions.
- Reuters
