Length: 5.141 km
Number of Laps: 60 (308.355Km)
Best Lap: M. Schumacher- 1'18''739 (2004, Ferrari)
Record Pole: K. Raikkonen - 1'18''233 (2004, Mclaren)
2006 Pole: F. Alonso - 1'20''253 (Renault)
2006 Podium: F. Alonso - M. Schumacher - K. Raikkonen

Hamilton had been the first of the major contenders to attempt a flying lap in the overcast and gusty conditions, emerging from the pits after half an hour. He worked his way down to a 1:21.828 before spinning at the entry to the Abbey chicane. He recovered with minimal drama.

Alonso then beat his teammate with a 1:21.675, which stood for seven minutes until Kimi Raikkonen put Ferrari ahead by 0.029 seconds.

His tenure on top was fleeting, as Felipe Massa produced a 1:21.285 lap moments later.

The McLarens then responded in the final half-hour, but a potentially very quick lap by Alonso ended with a trip across the grass and gravel at Priory. He rejoined the course at Brooklands and abandoned the run.

Hamilton had better fortune, retaking first position by 0.185 seconds with fifteen minutes remaining.

Raikkonen beat Hamilton's time in the first sector on his penultimate run, but could not match it in the remaining part of the lap and had to settle for taking second from Massa.

Although the Finn improved his time again on his final lap, Hamilton remained 0.111 seconds ahead.

Behind Massa and Alonso in third and fourth, Nico Rosberg completed the top five for Williams with a late lap nine tenths of a second off the pace.

Until Rosberg's improvement, the BMWs had comfortably held the 'best of the rest' positions, with Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld ending up sixth and seventh respectively.

Rosberg's teammate Alex Wurz moved to eighth near the end of the 90 minutes, with Ralf Schumacher (Toyota) and Rubens Barrichello (Honda) occupying the remaining top ten positions.

Jarno Trulli fell to 11th after a spin on the exit of Club late in the session.

Several drivers made minor errors as the wind made Silverstone's fast corners particularly tricky, but all continued except David Coulthard. The Scot spun his Red Bull into the Priory gravel with 20 minutes remaining.