Hamilton sets the pace at slippery Silverstone

The Formula One world championship leader had two off-track excursions on a chilly and blustery day at Silverstone.

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Englishman Hamilton set a time of one minute 21.100 seconds for McLaren, with the Ferraris looking menacing in second and third.

Kimi Raikkonen was 0.111 seconds behind the pacesetter and Felipe Massa 0.185 seconds in arrears.

Hamilton's world champion team-mate Fernando Alonso was fourth fastest, more than half a second adrift.

Hamilton was the first of the frontrunners to take to the track in his McLaren and was soon fastest.

But pushing too hard, the rookie spun going into the slow Abbey chicane and ended up pointing in the wrong direction on the grass.

He managed to get going again and made his way gingerly back to the pits on a track not offering a lot of grip, and he would also slide off on a later run.

Hamilton's time was initially pipped by Alonso, although he too showed how slippery a cold Silverstone can be with a couple of lurid moments into the gravel.

Midway through the session, Ferrari came to the fore.

First Raikkonen went quickest before Massa shot to the front after struggling on previous runs.

However, Hamilton was not to be denied in front of his home fans.

Behind the leading teams, Williams' Nico Rosberg impressed in fifth, with BMW pairing of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld filling out the top seven.

Williams' Alex Wurz, the Toyota of Ralf Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello's Honda rounded off the top 10.

Jenson Button's weekend did not begin auspiciously, with the Honda driver finding himself among the grid's lesser lights.

The Englishman wound up setting the 15th fastest time, almost two-and-a-half seconds off the pace.

Compatriot Anthony Davidson did a good job in setting the 12th fastest time in his Super Aguri.

The other Briton in the field, David Coulthard, was 18th fastest for Red Bull after a spin cut short his session.