Lewis Hamilton sets the pace in practice at British Grand Prix

LEWIS HAMILTON raised hopes of another Silverstone victory as he set a commanding pace in the sole practice session ahead of sprint qualifying at the British Grand Prix. Hamilton, who is chasing a record-extending 10th Silverstone success to build on his first win for Ferrari in Spain last month, was 0.213 seconds quicker than championship leader Kimi Antonelli. The Italian’s title lead was cut to 40 points last weekend as Mercedes team-mate George Russell clinched an impressive victory in Austria. Hamilton is a further six points adrift but again showed his mighty Silverstone touch, especially in the final sector, to show he is firmly in the fight for another win on home soil. Russell is hoping to make further inroads but ended the session almost seven tenths off Hamilton’s pace and behind Antonelli and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Oscar Piastri was fifth fastest ahead of Max Verstappen, while reigning champion and last year’s winner Lando Norris finished a whopping 1.028 seconds off the pace in seventh. Sprint qualifying for Sunday’s 18-lap dash gets under way at 4.30pm. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll walked away from a high-speed crash today