Kush Maini concluded the sole Formula 3 practice session from the Silverstone Circuit on top of the timesheet, setting a 1:44.841.
F3 drivers have just one session to prepare for their weekend, with qualifying taking place later today.
Maini, who has taken just one point-paying result so far this season, ended the outing marginally ahead of MP Motorsport team-mate Caio Collet.
The Alpine academy driver sat just 0.035s behind in second place, but there was a sizeable gap back to third-placed Kaylen Frederick, who was over six-tenths of a second down on the front-running pace.
Roman Stanek fourth for Trident, while Red Bull junior driver Isack Hadjar was fifth fastest.
Victor Martins, who enters the weekend with the lead in the Drivers’ Championship, was sixth ahead of Zak O’Sullivan.
Zane Maloney was eighth, leading Jonny Edgar and Pepe Marti, who rounded out the top 10.
Qualifying for the Silverstone weekend will get underway at 15:00 local time