Bottas heads Hamilton in soggy Silverstone practice

Valtteri Bottas headed Lewis Hamilton during a low-key opening practice session for Formula 1’s British Grand Prix.

Several teams – most notably Mercedes, Alpine, Aston Martin and Williams (only on Alex Albon’s car) – brought a raft of updates to trial during the session.

However there was limited running owing to the mixed weather conditions during the session.

Heavy rain fell prior to the start of proceedings but did so largely over the back half of the track, which was drenched, while the last sector was almost dry.

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Showers persisted throughout the remainder of the session before it was dry enough for slicks to be used during the final five minutes.

Bottas clocked the best time of 1:42.249s on Intermediate tyres while Soft-shod Hamilton finished half a second in arrears.

The rack remained perilously slippery in the middle sector, compromising potential sizeable improvements, and Lance Stroll duly went off into Copse.

Stroll spun on entry, breached his Aston Martin in the gravel, and caused the session to come to a premature conclusion a minute earlier than planned.

Only half of the 20 drivers set a lap time while a handful carried out just an installation lap.

Second-placed Hamilton was the only driver to complete a double-digit number of laps.

Friday’s second practice session is scheduled for 16:00 local time.

[motorsport_result id=’88035′]