Image source, Getty Images

Copse corner, one of Silverstone's fastest sections, caught a few drivers out in first practice, with Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly both suffering high-speed spins that, thankfully, didn't end their respective sessions. Will the famous turn prove difficult to master once again, now that the wind has picked up later in the afternoon?

Lorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Hello again, folks. Silverstone is ready for more Formula 1 cars on track. The weather has stayed dry - but the conditions are still blustery - as we await the rain that is forecast for tomorrow and Sunday.

Second practice gets under way at 16:00 BST.

The crowds were treated to a British one-two in opening practice, as Lewis Hamilton was quicker than Mclaren's Lando Norris by by 0.023 seconds. Championship leader Oscar Piastri was third, ahead of Hamilton's Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc.

This is the first time seven-time world champion Hamilton has topped a practice session since Las Vegas eight months ago - he was a Mercedes man back then - so is this a taster of things to come for the Italian team, or just a one-off?

Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent at Silverstone

Image source, Getty Images

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton set the pace in first practice at the British Grand Prix from McLaren's Lando Norris.

Hamilton headed Norris by 0.023 seconds at Silverstone, with the second McLaren of championship leader Oscar Piastri third, ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

It was the first time Hamilton had topped a practice session this season, excluding his pole position for the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Mercedes driver George Russell was fifth fastest, ahead of Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar and Williams' Alex Albon.

Image source, Getty Images

Arvid Lindblad at Red Bull and Sauber's Paul Aron give their thanks over the team radios for their first practice opportunity. We now say goodbye to the two rookies and welcome Yuki Tsunoda and Nico Hulkenberg back into the mix for the second hour later on.

The King of Silverstone, Lewis Hamilton, is the main man at home once again, but there were a few spins and niggling issues for other drivers to contend with in that opening practice session. So what will the next track action bring? We'll find out at 16:00 BST.

Take a break then come back and join us for build up from 15:45 BST.

See you shortly!

11. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

13. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

14. Arvid Lindblad (Red Bull)

15. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

16. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

17. Paul Aron (Sauber)

18. Oliver Bearman (Haas)

19. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

20. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)

Jennie Gow
F1 pit-lane reporter at Silverstone

I'm quite hopeful for Hamilton fans. Him finishing in P1 for this session, it's encouraging for Hamilton fans and Ferrari. Ferrari go well here, they've won 15 times. And we all know Hamilton is magic around here. He has won nine times, so he can have every hope that he will finish on the podium, which he has done every year since 2014.

1. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) - 1:26.892

2. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.023

3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.150

4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.203

5. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.271

6. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) +0.325

7. Alex Albon (Williams) +0.412

8. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +0.459

9. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.475

10. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.540

Max Verstappen's first hour in the UK has been one to forget, with the car sliding around and a lack of grip, leaving the Dutchman way down the timesheets in 10th place.

Williams are asking Carlos Sainz, who is out on the softs, for some feedback but the Spaniard points out shouldn't they be giving him the information? Sainz was a Q1 knockout for the third time in a row last weekend before his miserable Sunday in Austria.

George Russell has spied some crucial information he can feed back to Mercedes about the rear of Lewis Hamilton's tyres. The seven-time world champion is over two tenths wuicker than his former team-mate, as the chequered flag falls at Silverstone.

Colin: Does Max in Merc make sense? He'll no doubt demand to be a clear No 1. Isn't there a danger that Mercedes will then end up with a car that the second driver can't drive - just like Red Bull - and No 2 will be towards the back of the grid?

Rebecca Clancy
F1 journalist on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra at Silverstone

You absolutely should not rule out Oscar Piastri. He is absolutely brilliant, he is a cool customer, nothing fazes him, seems completely unflappable. He goes through the data, goes to the debriefs, he's one of these drivers, they work all the hours required to get to where they need to be.

Could Lewis Hamilton grab pole at Silverstone? Imagine the roar if he did. The Ferrari man is 0.023 seconds quicker than countryman Lando Norris following the pair's soft-tyre times, so with that done, the focus now switches to race simulations. Cue Andrew's Benson 'long run corner' theme tune.

Over at Haas, work begins to find the pesky gremlin causing trouble in Esteban Ocon's car.

BBC Sport's Harry Benjamin picks out his five things to look out for at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend.

Esteban Ocon has been on to his race engineer Laura Muller to say his brake pedal has broken, or "cracked", I think was the word the Frenchman used. He's down in 13th at the moment, with Brit team-mate Oliver Bearman, who was loving seeing Percy Pig in the paddock yesterday, two places lower in 15th spot.

Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc and George Russell are the top five after those first soft runs at Silverstone.

Stuart Riddell: Surely Max would be better going to Racing Bulls? I don't understand the fuss around Perez. There are a host of talented young drivers such as Vesti and Pourchaire who would bring far more excitement and longevity to the brand.

Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent at Silverstone

I think Leclerc and Hamilton do have similar driving styles. They both drive by the seats of their pants, they both like a bit of oversteer. I think one of the most interesting things I've heard Hamilton say all year, which was Charles manages to slide the rear into the corner and not get degradation and when I try to do that I do get degradation.

Image source, Getty Images

Are we heading for McLaren supremacy at Silverstone? Lando Norris just posted the quickest time ahead of his team-mate Oscar Piastri but here comes Lewis Hamilton to push the papaya pair to second and third. The Ferrari driver's time on his lastest soft run is 1:26.892.

Lewis Hamilton, the nine-time winner at Silverstone, is purple in the opening sector but the seven-time world champion backs out of his first flyer on the soft compound, possible because he encountered his team-mate Charles Leclerc, so stays in 11th place.

George Russell is 0.068 seconds away from Leclerc's quickest time and goes second behind the Ferrari.

Rookie Paul Aron, over at Sauber, finds himself in a bit of muddle as Alex Albon comes up on a fast lap. The 21-year-old says sorry for the mix up over the team radio.

His team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto is also finding Silverstone a challenge with a full spin on the softs at Copse corner. The Brazilian gobbles up too much kerb and his car twirls across the track.