Piastri on pole for Sao Paulo sprint, Verstappen fourth

SAO PAULO : Oscar Piastri beat title-chasing McLaren team mate Lando Norris to pole position in qualifying for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix sprint on Friday with Red Bull's Formula One leader Max Verstappen fourth fastest.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc will start third.

Australian Piastri lapped the Interlagos circuit with a best time of one minute 08.899 seconds with Norris a mere 0.029 slower. The Briton, 47 points behind Verstappen with four rounds remaining, had been fastest in the first two phases.

Mercedes' seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton qualified only 11th while Red Bull's Sergio Perez will start behind in 13th.

The sprint is on Saturday before qualifying for Sunday's main grand prix.

(Writing by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

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