Lewis Hamilton showcased his enduring excellence at Ferrari by setting the fastest lap in the first practice session, affirming his Silverstone supremacy with a time of 1m26.892s.
Despite his struggles after joining Ferrari, Hamilton delighted the home crowd by holding off title rival Lando Norris, who clinched second ahead of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.
Charles Leclerc’s fourth place hinted at an improved Ferrari performance, while George Russell claimed fifth after briefly topping the timesheets.
Defending champion Max Verstappen finished in tenth, with rookie Arvin Lindblad impressively close to the Red Bull driver.
The session saw a few exciting moments, including spins for Pierre Gasly and Gabriel Bortoleto, the latter coming off a breakthrough points finish at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Nico Hulkenberg’s absence in FP1 allowed Alpine’s Paul Aron to step in as the team aimed to build on their recent strong showing at the Red Bull Ring.
