British GP : Hamilton shines in FP1 as Ferrari finds its groove

The day is young but Lewis Hamilton lit up Silverstone once again as the seven-time world champion — now driving for Ferrari — clocked the fastest time in the opening practice session for the 2025 British Grand Prix.

Despite a challenging first half of the season, Hamilton delighted the home crowd by topping the timing sheets with a lap of 1m26.892s, proving that his mastery of the Northamptonshire circuit remains as sharp as ever.

Hamilton’s benchmark was enough to edge out McLaren’s Lando Norris, who continues his strong campaign as a leading title contender.

• British Grand Prix Free Practice 1 - Results

Norris narrowly beat team-mate Oscar Piastri for second place, ensuring a double top-three result for McLaren at the team’s home race.

Charles Leclerc, in the second Ferrari, slotted into fourth place, suggesting the Italian outfit may finally be turning a corner in performance after a sluggish start to 2025. George Russell, who briefly held top spot during the session, ended up fifth in his Mercedes.

A Slow Start for Verstappen

Four British drivers are competing full-time in F1 this year, and three of them ended FP1 in the top five. However, Haas’ Oliver Bearman had a trickier session, finishing 18th as he struggled to find rhythm on the high-speed circuit.

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen – who has endured a challenging run of form since mid-season – ended the session 10th for Red Bull.

Remarkably, his rookie team-mate Arvin Lindblad wasn’t far behind. Making his F1 debut at just 17 years old, Lindblad impressed by finishing just over half a second down on the reigning world champion.

Incidents and New Faces

The session saw plenty of track activity thanks to dry and stable conditions. Still, the high-speed nature of Silverstone caught a few drivers out.

Pierre Gasly spun his Alpine 360 degrees at Copse but managed to avoid damage. Soon after, rookie Gabriel Bortoleto suffered a similar moment at the same corner, briefly taking a detour across the grass before rejoining safely.

Bortoleto, who scored his first F1 points in Austria last weekend, continued his momentum despite the scare. His Sauber team-mate Nico Hülkenberg sat out FP1, replaced by Alpine junior Paul Aron.

The Estonian driver, temporarily loaned to Sauber for the session, placed 17th in his maiden appearance in that car.

While it's only the beginning of the British Grand Prix weekend, Hamilton’s commanding start has given the passionate Silverstone fans something to believe in.

After a difficult adaptation period at Ferrari, his FP1 performance hints at a potential turning point — not just for his season, but for his legacy with the Scuderia.

With McLaren and Mercedes also looking competitive and Red Bull not far off, the stage is set for an electric weekend of racing at one of Formula 1’s most iconic venues.

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