Lewis Hamilton made a strong start to his home British Grand Prix weekend as a Ferrari driver, setting the fastest time in the first free practice session at Silverstone.
The nine-time winner at Silverstone, who is yet to achieve a podium finish for Ferrari this season, quickly found his rhythm around the familiar circuit. He posted an initial best lap of 1:26.892, narrowly beating fellow British driver Lando Norris by just 0.023 seconds. This marks the first time Hamilton has topped a practice session during the current season.
Conditions during the session were warm and sunny but characteristically windy at Silverstone. This factor was highlighted by commentators, noting Hamilton`s considerable experience and the Ferrari car`s apparent suitability for the blustery conditions, suggesting his deep understanding of the track contributed to his confidence and pace.
Oscar Piastri secured third place for McLaren, 0.150 seconds behind Hamilton, with Charles Leclerc taking fourth in the second Ferrari, indicating a positive start for the Scuderia following last week`s performance in Austria. George Russell was the lead Mercedes driver in fifth, approximately 0.3 seconds off the pace.
Championship leader Max Verstappen finished the session in 10th place for Red Bull, reporting persistent handling issues with his RB21 car. He described his car`s performance as `unbelievable` through certain corners. Red Bull have introduced new floor components this weekend aimed at increasing downforce on the cornering-focused Silverstone circuit and will be working to improve the car`s setup ahead of the more crucial sessions.
Interestingly, both Racing Bulls cars outperformed the lead Red Bull in this session, with Isack Hadjar finishing sixth and Liam Lawson eighth. Kimi Antonelli was ninth in the second Mercedes.
With Yuki Tsunoda not participating in FP1, the second Red Bull car was driven by 17-year-old British protege Arvid Lindblad. The F2 driver made his Formula 1 practice debut on home soil, completing 22 laps and finishing 14th fastest, a respectable half a second behind Verstappen.
The session saw some dramatic moments, particularly at the high-speed Copse corner. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) both experienced high-speed spins, though both managed to recover and continue their sessions. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) also had a brief off-track excursion. Estonian driver Paul Aron also made his P1 debut, driving for Sauber; he finished 17th, while Bortoleto was classified last after his spin.
British GP Practice One Results
| Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1) Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:26.892 |
| 2) Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.023 |
| 3) Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.150 |
| 4) Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.203 |
| 5) George Russell | Mercedes | +0.271 |
| 6) Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +0.325 |
| 7) Alex Albon | Williams | +0.412 |
| 8) Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +0.459 |
| 9) Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.475 |
| 10) Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.540 |
| 11) Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +0.786 |
| 12) Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +0.952 |
| 13) Carlos Sainz | Williams | +1.017 |
| 14) Arvid Lindblad | Red Bull | +1.066 |
| 15) Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.165 |
| 16) Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +1.194 |
| 17) Paul Aron | Sauber | +1.250 |
| 18) Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.255 |
| 19) Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1.440 |
| 20) Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | +1.505 |
