1) VET 1:26.585

2) HAM +0.233

3) BOT +0.440

4) VER +0.724

5) RAI +0.964

6) LEC +1.441

Sebastian Vettel goes fastest with a new track record of 1:26.585. Lewis Hamilton is fastest through the middle sector, but can't quite live with that, 0.233 seconds slower.

Image source, Reuters

Owain Hunt: Ah yes, these two Williams drivers were definitely chosen on merit, and not for the amount of money they brought to the team.

Rhydian: Ironic how it's the two 'paid for' drivers that have screwed up so far today. Almost as if having an enormous bank balance doesn't give you driving talent.

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live

The other Williams has beached. He has manged to just drag it around with the clutch, but he will make it back to the pit and go around for another run.

Sergey Sirotkin spins off now, coming into the corner at Stowe! He just about manages to keep the engine running and eases himself out. Claire Williams, watching from the garage, has her hands over her mouth in horror. Sirotkin manages to get himself back on to the track.

Image source, Formula 1 Twitter

Jennie Gow
BBC Radio 5 live pit-lane reporter

So many flags flying in the breeze it a beautiful sight. So many people in here today and a lot of support for Hamilton.

Kimi Raikkonen moves to the top of the board with a 1:27.647, and now it feels as if things are starting to warm up a bit...

Image source, Reuters

Three times set so far. With no Hartley and no Stroll, just three more drivers to be eliminated...

1) GRO 1:28.895

2) GAS +0.762

3) MAG +2.518

Off we go again - 14 minutes and 25 seconds of Q1 left.

Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live

It will be minimal damage it’s a simple spin into the gravel, but he will now start from the back

The JCB digger is out to lift Stroll's Williams away.

Image source, Formula 1 Twitter

Red flagpublished at 14:05 British Summer Time 7 July 2018

14:05 BST 7 July 2018

Oh dear, Lance Stroll spins off into the gravel at Brooklands - and the red flag comes out. Just lost control there, and that's the end of him for qualifying. Worth bearing in mind that, unlike in practice, the clock stops here.

Image source, Formula 1 Twitter

And here come the Ferraris - Raikkonen on medium tyres, Vettel on the softs.

Pierre Gasly, in the other Toro Rosso, is the first man out. Feels like a statement of intent, that.

No Brendon Hartley. He is OK after his crash - but the Toro Rosso needs a lot more TLC before that is ready to take to the track again. So we've just the 19 drivers - and 18 minutes. First 15 drivers go into Q2 - the rest take the back places on the grid tomorrow.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Silverstone

The view of the track from the media centre is certainly not too shabby.

The stands in the finish straight is covered with dozens flags of their favourite drivers and messages of support and probably 90% of them are for Lewis Hamilton as he bids to win the race for a record sixth time. Smaller flags of support for Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso and that's it. No-one else gets a look in.

We're expecting 150,000 people at Silverstone tomorrow. No doubting that Lewis remains the man the majority are cheering on.

BBC Radio 5 live sports extra is carrying live commentary on qualifying now.

You can also listen to Jolyon Palmer, Jack Nicholls and Jennie Gow by refreshing your browser and clicking on the icon at the top of this page.

On the McLaren front, Fernando Alonso does have a new engine and MGU-H in his car today. There will be no grid penalty this weekend for that, but he is now at his maximum allowance for the season, and we're only at race 10 of 21. Penalties down the line, then, would be inevitable, you would think.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Can Ferrari cause an upset on a track where, in recent history, they have tended to struggle? It looked a bit like it on Friday. Normally Ferrari are off the pace on Fridays, only to bounce back on Saturdays, to the extent that Lewis Hamilton has been known to accuse them of ‘sangbagging’. Not here at Silverstone, though.

Mercedes were expected to dominate, and yet there was Sebastian Vettel topping the times, helped by some significant upgrades to the car’s floor.

“Everything we put on the car seemed to work,” Vettel said. “But more importantly the balance was there since the beginning of the day and I felt quite happy with the car. I felt a good rhythm straight away. For a change we had a good Friday and I hope we can carry some momentum into tomorrow.”

However, he admitted Mercedes were “very strong around here and I expect them to be very strong tomorrow, but I hope we can be there and I hope it is going to be close, that would be very good news, historically it has not been a very strong track for us”.

Mercedes did look much faster on the long runs on Friday - but they only had Kimi Raikkonen to compare to.

I asked a few minutes ago - as a supplement to the above question - if the British Grand Prix could move elsewhere if Silverstone failed to extend its agreement beyond 2019.

The Fig: If Silverstone doesn't agree, what about Goodwood, if they can adapt the track? I'm sure the facilities could be sorted. They host an amazing festival every year. Why not an F1 weekend?

Tim Singleton: I'd shift the British GP to Northern Ireland and run it on the Northwest 200 course. Long straights, chicanes & a twiddly bit along the coast. What more do you need? :)