Practice 1 Report - Vettel tops first session at Silverstone

Valencia winner Sebastian Vettel (1:32.280) got Red Bull Racing's Silverstone weekend off to a strong start when he topped the first session of free practice for Sunday's British Grand Prix, which takes the F1 season into its second half.

Lewis Hamilton, looking to repeat his 2008 win in front of his home fans, was second fastest with his new 'blown exhaust' configuration McLaren (1:32.614), marginally faster than Robert Kubica (1:32.725) and Mark Webber (1:32.747).

Adrian Sutil (1:32.968) looked strong for Force India, the most local of the many F1 teams based close to the Northamptonshire venue. Nico Rosberg (1:33.318) was sixth fastest as the teams had their first experience of the new Silverstone Grand Prix circuit layout, with namesake and countryman Nico Hulkenberg just six hundredths slower with the first of the Williams FW32s.

Jenson Button (1:33.519), hoping to break his home GP jinx and win his first British Grand Prix, started off with eighth fastest time. It has emerged that the reigning world champion's Mum, Simone, was among a number of guests evacuated from the Premier Inn at nearby Syresham, which burned down in an intense fire earlier in the week! A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson.

Michael Schumacher (1:33.955) set the ninth quickest time for Mercedes, ahead of Rubens Barrichello (1:34.016) with the second Williams.