The BMW driver produced a 57.622s lap early on du🦩ring the 40-minute practice when running in tandem with his BMW team mate Colin Turkington.

With teams and drivers focussing on dialling in the optimum s✤et-up, Hill's early effort wasn't to be beaten with EXCELR8 Hyundai's Pearson setting the next best effort in second.

Hill ඣstill carries a mathematical chance of claiming this season's BTCC drivers' title, but would need to overhaul a 62-point deficit to runaway leader Ash Sutton.

Power Maxed Racing duo Aron Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble e𓆏njoyed a strong start to their Silverstone weekend after setting the third and fourth fastest times aboard their Vauxhall Astras.

Having completed the majority of his running early in session, four-time champion Turkingtoꦍn completed the top-five FP1 order in fifth pos🔯ition, ahead of Sutton's NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus in sixth.

Three-time champion Sutton carries a substantial 42-point championship lead ahead of reigning c♛hampion Tom Ingram, who was ninth quickest in FP1 behind Toyota's Ricky Collard and Team BMW's Adam Morgan in seventh and eighth.

Rory Butc𝄹her completed the top-ten practice order w𝔉ith the tenth fastest time.