Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in the practice session at the British Grand Prix on July 3, 2026, at Silverstone, clocking in at 0.213 seconds faster than championship leader Kimi Antonelli. The session took place under clear skies with temperatures reaching 23C, as a record crowd of 500,000 is expected this weekend.
Practice Session Highlights
Hamilton, the seven-time champion and record holder with nine victories at Silverstone, surprised many by topping the timesheets. His performance came after he had predicted that Ferrari would struggle on the straights compared to Mercedes, which proved to be accurate as he outpaced his competitors.
In the practice results, Hamilton led with a time that edged out Antonelli, with Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari following closely. Notably, George Russell, who won in Austria the previous weekend, finished fourth.
Top Ten Finishers
- 1. Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes
- 2. Kimi Antonelli - Ferrari
- 3. Charles Leclerc - Ferrari
- 4. George Russell - Mercedes
- 5. Oscar Piastri - McLaren
- 6. Max Verstappen - Red Bull
- 7. Lando Norris - McLaren
- 8. Isack Hadjar - Red Bull
- 9. Nico Hulkenberg - Audi
- 10. Liam Lawson - Racing Bulls
Looking Ahead to Sprint Qualifying
The sprint qualifying session is scheduled to start at 16:30 BST, where drivers will have the opportunity to further refine their setups ahead of the race. Despite a minor spin from Piastri during practice, the session was largely uneventful, setting the stage for an exciting qualifying round.
As the British Grand Prix weekend unfolds, all eyes will be on Hamilton to see if he can maintain his momentum and secure another victory at his home circuit.
🤖 This article was rewritten by Feed and Figures' editorial AI from a report originally published by BBC Sport. Facts and quotes are preserved from the original; the rewrite focuses on clarity and structure. For the unedited original, see the source link below.
