Australian F1 Grand Prix: Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc quickest in practice with rookie Isack Hadjar sixth

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen only seventh for Red Bull, six-tenths off Leclerc’s pace

Charles Leclerc of Ferrari in action during practice at Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Australia. EPA

Charles Leclerc outshone new teammate Lewis Hamilton to top the time charts at the end of practice for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Leclerc was 0.124 seconds ahead of McLaren driver and home favourite Oscar Piastri around Melbourne's Albert Park.

Lando Norris, billed as the pre-season championship favourite, topped the opening session. However, he had to settle for third later in the day, 0.141 sec off Leclerc’s pace.

RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar finished fourth and sixth respectively, with world champion Max Verstappen only seventh for Red Bull, six-tenths back.

After 12 years at Mercedes, where Hamilton clinched six of his seven F1 drivers' titles, the Briton made his much-anticipated debut for the Italian team.

Billed as the biggest switch in F1's 75-year history, the 40-year-old ended the first one-hour session down in 12th – complaining that he was struggling to turn the car – before improving to fifth, albeit 0.420 seconds behind new teammate Leclerc.

Prior to Friday’s running, Hamilton insisted he was not feeling the pressure of his switch to Ferrari despite only two wins in his last 69 races.

Despite hinting that he will need time to adapt to his new surroundings, he also added that he has nothing to prove.

The evidence of pre-season testing suggested McLaren and Ferrari will start the year as the teams to beat, and practice did little to dispel that with the drivers from both sides occupying four of the first five places.

Verstappen is bidding to win a fifth consecutive title, but he appeared short of confidence in his Red Bull and finished 0.624 sec behind Leclerc.

Liam Lawson in the other Red Bull was only 17th of the 19 runners. George Russell was 10th for Mercedes, six places ahead of new teammate Kimi Antonelli.

British teenager Ollie Bearman was unable to complete a lap in second practice after he crashed out of the opening running.

Bearman made three appearances last season, one for Ferrari and two for Haas, to land a promotion to the grid this year – one of six rookies in 2025.

However, Bearman ended up in the wall with 22 minutes left after he ran through the gravel on the exit of Turn 10 and hit the wall.

The right-rear wheel tore off his Haas with the front-right tyre crumpling underneath.

“I am sorry,” said the 19-year-old on the radio before he emerged from his cockpit following the high-speed crash.

Bearman’s mechanics spent the next hours fixing his car, but they were unable to get it ready in time for the day’s concluding running.