The flying Mercedes of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton fought off a Ferrari challenge to post the fastest times in Friday practice for this weekend's Formula One Australian Grand Prix.
Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen temporarily topped the charts in the second session before Rosberg and Hamilton grabbed back supremacy.
Germany’s Rosberg, last year’s race winner, clocked the fastest time of 1 minute 27.697 seconds, ahead of British defending world champion Hamilton in 1:27.797.
While Mercedes and Ferrari were laying down their markers for the season-opening race, Sauber, embroiled in a legal battle over their driver line-up, made a belated appearance.
After skipping the first session, Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson entered the track during the second, timing 11th and 15th respectively.
Sauber was earlier ordered to let Giedo van der Garde drive and is facing contempt of court action, which will now spill into Saturday, to enforce the Australian court ruling.
It was unclear whether Sauber was in breach of the order by letting Nasr and Ericsson drive. Judge Clyde Croft urged both parties to have “very sensible” talks at the latest hearing.
It turned out to be an eventful drive for Sweden’s Ericsson, who reported “a really strange feeling on the brakes” into Turn 1 on his outlap and then had smoke coming from the left rear wheel, which indicated possible suspension failure.
Australian hope Daniel Ricciardo also had his share of strife, sitting out the entire second practice session after he needed a change of Renault engine in his Red Bull car.
Ricciardo, attempting to become the first Australian to win his home GP in 35 years, complained of “aggressive” throttle response from the RB11’s Renault engine.
Mercedes started the new season as they left off as Rosberg and Hamilton took charge, reinforcing the constructors champions’ chassis and engine improvements.
Vettel had an encouraging first day driving for Ferrari since his switch from Red Bull, and was third with a best lap of 1:28.412.
The signs look good for Ferrari in Sunday’s race with Raikkonen the fourth-quickest with 1:28.842.
The second session was stopped when McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen, deputising for Fernando Alonso after his crash in testing, came off into the gravel at Turn 6.
Three-time race winner Jenson Button reported understeer problems with the other McLaren and Felipe Massa missed the second session due to a water leak in his Williams.
The new Manor team had a catalogue of problems on the opening day with electrical software and computing problems confining its cars to the garage.
Dutch teenager Max Verstappen, set to become the youngest ever F1 driver at 17 years and 166 days in Sunday’s race, was sixth fastest in the first session but down in 14th in later practice in his Toro Rosso.
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