Hamilton Tops Silverstone Practice as British GP Attendance Nears 500,000

Lewis Hamilton delivered a standout performance by setting the fastest time in the first practice session for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, marking his best Friday practice since joining Ferrari and the first time this season he led a session. The 40-year-old seven-time world champion, who holds records for most wins, poles, and podiums at Silverstone, outpaced title contenders Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri of McLaren, with teammate Charles Leclerc finishing fourth. Despite Hamilton's resurgence, Ferrari remains without a win this season and trails McLaren by a wide margin in the constructors’ standings. Meanwhile, Red Bull's reigning world champion Max Verstappen struggled with handling issues, posting only the tenth-fastest time. Red Bull also gave 17-year-old Arvid Lindblad, replacing Yuki Tsunoda for testing, a promising debut session, with team boss Christian Horner praising his performance. The session saw updates from Red Bull and McLaren on their floor designs, and a minor incident involving Pierre Gasly spinning but avoiding damage.