British GP: Carlos Sainz fastest from Lewis Hamilton in Practice Two as Mercedes show promise

Carlos Sainz was fastest for Ferrari in a fiercely competitive Practice Two for the British GP, while Lewis Hamilton’s boosted his home-race hopes by finishing second as Mercedes showed promise with their upgraded car.

In front of a sell-out Silverstone crowd, Lando Norris was just behind countryman Hamilton in third, with the McLaren driver surprisingly quicker than title rivals Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.

With Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes looking closer than usual, Sainz topped a dry P2 – which was made all the more crucial and intriguing following a rain-disrupted opening session – by 0.153s despite running wide at Copse Corner.

Hamilton had dropped down to 15th at one stage but found pace on his soft-tyre run to place second in a Mercedes car which has plenty of updates, including a new floor, as the team aim for their first win of the season.

Norris, who was top before Sainz and Hamilton’s faster laps, was still within two-tenths of Sainz come the end of the session.

Verstappen, the title leader by 46 points, and Leclerc, who has the most poles this season, both struggled for one-lap speed and finished 0.2 and 0.4s off the pace respectively.

More to follow.