FP1: Norris pips Stroll to head opening practice in Silverstone

McLaren driver Lando Norris set the benchmark in the opening sixty-minute practice session at the British Grand Prix, beating Aston Martin's Lance Stroll. F1Technical's lead journalist Balazs Szabo reports on Free Practice 1.

Although he had a quiet start to the opening practice, McLaren's Lando Norris put on Pirelli's red-walled soft tyres for the dying stages of the session. The Briton set a 1m27.420s which was enough to top sixty-minute session. His team-mate Oscar Piastri took 3rd for McLaren.

Following a series of tough races, Aston Martin displayed an encouraging performance on the C3 compound with Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso ending up second and sixth quickest.

Max Verstappen ended the session in P4, albeit he was the quickest driver on the medium compound as he elected to save the softs for the remainder of the weekend.

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton confirmed the upward trajectory Mercedes have achieved recently. The two-time F1 race winner ended the session in P5, two places ahead of his seven-time world champion team-mate with both drivers setting their best times on the C2 compound.

Ferrari had three tough race weekends on the trot, and for the moment, the Scuderia appears to be slightly behind the leading trio of Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes again. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz took 8th and 9th respectively, but they did not use the red-banded tyres.

Yuki Tsunoda caused an early red flag when he beached his RB in the gravel at Luffield, leaving him sidelined for the rest of the session. His team-mate Daniel Ricciardo took 13 in the other RB.