Lewis Hamilton leads the way in sole British Grand Prix practice

[p]Seven-time world champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hamilton-lewis/tI5Vpe1h/"]Hamilton[/a] ‌threw down an early marker for the ‌sunny Silverstone weekend with a best lap of ‌one minute 29.260 seconds, 0.213 quicker than 19-year-old ‌Italian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]Antonelli[/a]'s earlier eye-catching effort and a real statement of intent.[/p][p]Hamilton has won a record nine times ‌at the former airfield where the championship ⁠started in 1950 ‌and another victory on Sunday would be Ferrari's 250th ​in Formula One.[/p][p]The race is set to be the biggest British Grand Prix yet, ​with 565,000 spectators expected.[/p][p]Ferrari's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leclerc-charles/KlCOSRub/"]Charles Leclerc[/a] was third fastest, 0.599 off Hamilton's pace, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russell-george/xxF56RaN/"]Russell[/a] ⁠fourth and 0.678 ​slower than his leading compatriot and former teammate.[/p][embed guid="831236ae-7766-41e0-8cf8-c08b3c36ef2d" url="https://x.com/ScuderiaFerrari/status/2073014989422821500" social-type="twitter" /][p]Red Bull's four times world champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verstappen-max/UV3mgeXB/"]Max Verstappen[/a] was sixth fastest and sandwiched between the McLarens of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/piastri-oscar/MqKAIeUf/"]Oscar ‌Piastri[/a] and last year's winner and world champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norris-lando/WSVABbVF/"]Lando Norris[/a] -- who has his own 'Landostand' packed with supporters.[/p][p]Red Bull's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hadjar-isack/8SAk38Ui/"]Isack Hadjar[/a] was eighth on the timesheets ahead of Audi's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hulkenberg-nico/GfW4SMu7/"]Nico Hulkenberg[/a], who took his first career podium at the circuit last year in third place, and Racing Bulls' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lawson-liam/nap8RjeO/"]Liam Lawson[/a] completing the top 10.[/p][p]The practice session was ‌the only one of the weekend, with sprint ​qualifying following later on Friday before Saturday's ‌sprint race and regular qualifying for Sunday's grand prix.[/p][p]Antonelli, winner of five races in a row until Hamilton ended the sequence in Spain last month, has a 40-point lead over ⁠Russell after eight ⁠rounds with Hamilton ‌a further six adrift.[/p]