Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheets in the sole practice session for his home British Grand Prix on Friday, setting a best lap of one minute 29.260 seconds at the Silverstone circuit. The seven-time world champion was 0.213 seconds quicker than Formula One leader Kimi Antonelli, who impressed in his Mercedes.
Hamilton's Dominant Display
Hamilton's lap was a clear statement of intent as he aims for a record ninth victory at Silverstone. A win on Sunday would also mark Ferrari's 250th triumph in Formula One. The race is expected to be the largest British Grand Prix ever, with 565,000 spectators anticipated over the weekend.
Charles Leclerc placed third in the other Ferrari, 0.599 seconds off Hamilton's pace, while George Russell was fourth, 0.678 seconds slower than his compatriot and former teammate. Red Bull's Max Verstappen, the four-time world champion, finished sixth, sandwiched between the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, the latter enjoying strong support from his dedicated 'Landostand' fan area.
Top Ten and Championship Context
Red Bull's Isack Hadjar took eighth, ahead of Audi's Nico Hulkenberg—who secured his first career podium at Silverstone last year—and Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson rounded out the top ten. This was the only practice session of the weekend, with sprint qualifying scheduled later on Friday, followed by Saturday's sprint race and qualifying for Sunday's grand prix.
Antonelli, who had won five consecutive races before Hamilton ended that streak in Spain last month, holds a 40-point lead over Russell after eight rounds. Hamilton trails by a further six points. The championship battle remains intense as the season progresses.
