Mercedes top in wet final practice for British GP

George Russell led the way from record race winner Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes topped a wet and cold final practice session on Saturday for the British Formula One Grand Prix.

Russell clocked 1 minute 37.529 seconds on the iconic 5.891-kilometre Silverstone circuit to finish .035 of a second ahead of Hamilton.

McLaren's Lando Norris trailed by just under two-tenths in third after leading the first two sessions on Friday.

"Things went well but it doesn't say a lot. We were quickest in the wet. Let's see how it is later," Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told Sky TV.

Triple world champion and season leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull was fifth, after fourth and seventh the previous day, but he is expected to challenge for the pole position in qualifying later in the day.

Fans will meanwhile hope that the top three can replicate their performance on Sunday for what would be a first British podium sweep at the home race since 1965.

Russell triumphed last week in Austria after a collision between Verstappen and Norris. Hamilton is a record eight-time winner in Silverstone, and Norris has also been fast lately and won the Miami race.

Verstappen leads the championship 81 points ahead of Norris as the 24-race season reaches the halfway mark in Sunday's race.