2025 British Grand Prix F1 Practice results: Norris sets the early pace as F2 and F3 grids are decided

An uncharacteristically hot and sunny Silverstone welcomed F1 and its support categories as the 2025 British Grand Prix weekend got underway. 

Friday’s two Practice sessions presented drivers with their first opportunity to get up to speed on Silverstone’s high-speed layout, while the support series of FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 completed practice, before setting the grid for their Sprint and Feature races later in the weekend.

British Grand Prix F1 results: Norris takes home win in front of record crowds

Formula 1

Practice 1 results

Practice 1 snapshot

In a session where Copse caught out many drivers, including Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz and Gabriel Bortoleto, the British trio of Lando Norris, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton traded fastest times in the opening 15 minutes with George coming out on top of the opening exchanges.

As the second quarter of the session began it was Oscar Piastri who rose to the top of the table, but just five minutes later, Russell got back in front by half a tenth. 

With 20 minutes completed, Liam Lawson put in a superb lap to go fastest. As most drivers peeled into the garages before the session’s halfway point, it was Lawson’s team-mate Isack Hadjar who’d put his RB to the top of the table with Charles Leclerc six hundredths behind. 

As the second half of the session started, the Soft tyres were bolted on and Norris was the first to set a representative quali lap, vaulting to the top of the times. 

Piastri quickly displaced his team-mate by less than a tenth, while Leclerc then outpaced both McLarens by almost two tenths and Russell slotted into second not long after. 

With 20 minutes to go, Piastri retook the top spot, but Norris was quick to respond, as was nine-time British Grand Prix winner Hamilton. 

As the session came to a close, Hamilton was fastest overall from Norris just two hundredths back and Piastri third, while Leclerc and Russell rounded out the top five.

Practice 2 results

Practice 2 snapshot

Hamilton kept fan anticipation high into the second practice session as he returned to the top of the times early on, with his old rival Verstappen separating him and Ferrari team-mate Leclerc. 

With 10 minutes ticked off, Piastri then claimed the top spot from Lewis, who quickly reclaimed it for himself. Hadjar and Russell also put in some impressive laps to go third and fourth respectively. Piastri then went back into second just one hundredth behind Hamilton. 

Just before the session reached the 20-minute mark, the other Ferrari of Charles Leclerc made his claim for the fastest lap, a time which Hamilton then bested by almost three tenths.

As the session approached its halfway point, the Soft tyre runs began and the Mercedes drivers were the first to set a lap. Kimi Antonelli went a tenth and a half faster than team-mate Russell, while Hadjar slotted into third one thousandth behind. 

Then it was the turn of the scarlet red Ferrari cars, Leclerc went nearly two tenths clear of Antonelli, while Hamilton abandoned his first quali simulation. 

Finally, it was time for McLaren’s Soft tyre runs; Piastri fell just short of Leclerc’s time while Norris streaked almost four tenths clear of the Monegasque driver.

When Hamilton finally did put a lap in, he took the second-fastest time, even with his sub-optimal tyre life taken into account. Leclerc then retook second from his team-mate. 

From there, the field began their race runs, where the McLarens, Ferraris and Verstappen all seemed to be running a similar pace. 

At the end of the session, the order stayed as Norris in first, Leclerc, Hamilton, Piastri and Verstappen in the top five.

Practice 3 results

Practice 3 snapshot

The Alpines were first out to check if overnight set-up alterations had improved the balance, which, Pierre Gasly confirmed they had, despite still struggling for grip. 

Hamilton was the first of the front-runners to set a lap, immediately jumping to the top of the times with a 1:26.529 on the Softs. 

Norris was next to set a lap, who went slower than his compatriot. Then, in quick succession, Charles Leclerc set a time three hundredths faster than his team-mate and Verstappen slotted in just five thousandths behind the Monegasque driver. 

Leclerc followed that lap up by going almost six tenths clear of the field. Verstappen closed the deficit to a quarter of a second, while Russell improved in the subsequent runs to come within two tenths of Leclerc. 

In the final 20 minutes of the session, the McLarens went out for another Soft tyre attempt and Norris’ lap put him to the top of the times by three tenths. Piastri then bettered the home favourite by a tiny margin of four hundredths. 

Verstappen split the McLarens with the second fastest time, just shy of two hundredths behind Piastri. On his final run, Leclerc pipped Piastri to the fastest time and Hamilton was on course to go fastest of all, but the session was red flagged as he exited Stowe. 

After the restart, Gabriel Bortoleto brought out another red flag after spinning at Becketts. 

Formula 2

Practice snapshot

Victor Martins set the early pace in Formula 2 practice, with Sebastián Montoya and Leonardo Fornaroli not far behind. 

They were quickly displaced, however by Jack Crawford and Sami Meguetounif, but the American’s time was deleted for track limits. 

Red flags were then waved for a stricken Rafael Villagomez. With 15 minutes remaining, the track went green again and as the session restarted, the local drivers were on a charge with Luke Browning going fastest, followed by Irish driver Alex Dunne in second. 

In the closing stages, Martins, Montoya and Browning traded blows, each taking their turn at the top of the times.

As the chequered flag fell, Martins bested home hero Browning by half a tenth with Crawford rounding out the top three. Dino Beganovic took fourth and Montoya in fifth.

Qualifying

Martins picked up where he left off by going straight to the top of the times after the early runs in Qualifying. Championship leader Richard Verschoor was second and Amaury Cordeel in third. 

Montoya was running out of sync with the rest of the field and the clear air helped him to record the third-fastest time, which was swiftly bettered by Crawford. 

The session was then red-flagged for the stranded Cordeel at Club. When things got back underway, Alex Dunne was the first to set another lap and vaulted to third. 

Crawford and Montoya put in ultra-quick laps as did Verschoor, securing the top three spots. Roman Stanek then jumped into an impressive second, while Martins took back provisional pole position. 

With Dunne’s final attempt, he slotted into second and in the final moments of the session, Fornaroli snatched 10th and reverse grid pole from Arvid Lindblad. Martins eventually took pole, Dunne, Crawford, Stanek and Montoya.

Formula 3

Practice snapshot

The Campos duo of Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak and Mari Boya set the early pace in the Formula 3 field’s exploratory laps. Alessandro Giusti quickly threatened for the P1 spot, but a big slide through Club denied him the chance to trouble the top times. 

Nikola Tsolov then slotted into second, before being displaced by Tim Tramnitz and Ugo Ugochukwu who went fastest followed by Martinius Stenshorne and Charlie Wurz, dropping Inthraphuvasak to fourth. 

After a mid-session lull, championship leader Rafael Câmara vaulted from the middle of the pack to the top of the table, before his time was deleted for track limits. 

With just over five minutes left on the clock, Tsolov snatched the top spot ahead of Stenshorne. and Tramnitz then slotting into second.

Tsolov ended the session fastest ahead of Wurz – who slotted into second in the final moments of Practice – Tramnitz, Stenshorne and points leader Câmara. The British duo of Callum Voisin and James Hedley finished in 13th and 25th respectively.

Qualifying snapshot

Câmara was quick out of the gates, setting the fastest lap in the initial runs, followed by Ugochukwu and Voisin, but Tsolov was charging further back. The Bulgarian went purple in both the first two sectors, eventually taking provisional pole by three tenths from Tramnitz and Inthraphuvasak. 

During the second runs, the Trident team-mates of Câmara and Noah Strømsted jumped up to first and third respectively, with the championship leader opening a gap of nearly half a second to Tsolov in second. 

The third trident driver, Wurz, joined his team-mates at the front claiming fourth with five minutes to go. 

In the first of the final runs, Théophile Naël set a lap quick enough for second. Stenshorne then went second, who was quickly displaced by Tramnitz, as Tsolov took pole position. He was followed by Ugochukwu, Câmara, Boya and Tramnitz. 

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