Mercedes dominated free practice at Formula One's season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Friday, with Nico Rosberg edging his world champion team-mate Lewis Hamilton to top the timesheets in both sessions. German Rosberg, last year's championship runner-up, set the fastest lap of 1:27.697secs in the second session on a glorious day at Albert Park, topping Hamilton by one tenth of a second. Rosberg was also quickest in the first session, his best time of 1:29.557secs edging Hamilton as the constructors' champions carried their ominous form from winter testing onto the track. Nico Rosberg made a flying start to his season as he topped the timesheets in both practice sessions . Rosberg pictured in action ahead of Sunday's season opener at the Australian Grand Prix . Rosberg (centre) poses with crew members while wearing red noses but Lewis Hamilton went without . 1 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:29.557secs, . 2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:29.586 . 3 Valteri Bottas Williams 1:30.748 . 4 Carlos Sainz Jnr Toro Rosso 1:31.014 . 5 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1:31.029 . 6 Max Verstappen Toro Rosso 1:31.067 . 7 Felipe Massa Williams 1:31.188 . 8 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1:31.310 . 9 Pastor Maldonado Lotus 1:31.451 . 10 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull 1:31.570 . 11 Daniel Kvyat Red Bull 1:32.073 . 12 Sergio Perez Force India 1:32.247 . 13 Nico Hulkenbrrg Force India 1:32.261 . 14 Jenson Button McLaren 1:34 . 15 Kevin Magnussen 1:34.785 . 16 Romain Grosjean Lotus 2:17.782 . 17 Marcus Ericsson Sauber . 18 Felipe Nasr Sauber . 19 Will Stevens Manor . 20 Roberto Merhi Manor (All no time) 1 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:27.697secs . 2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:27.797 . 3 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1:28.412 . 4 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1:28.842 . 5 Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:29.265 . 6 Daniil Kvyat Red Bull 1:30.016 . 7 Carlos Sainz Jnr Toro Rosso 1:30.071 . 8 Pastor Maldonado Lotus 1:30.104 . 9 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:30.205 . 10 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1:30.473 . 11 Felipe Nasr Sauber 1:30.755 . 12 Sergio Perez Force India 1:30.980 . 13 Jenson Button McLaren 1:31.387 . 14 Max Verstappen Toro Rosso 1:31.395, . 15 Marcus Ericsson Sauber 1:32.303 . 16 Kevin Magnussen McLaren 1:33.289 . 17 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull . 18 Felipe Massa Williams . 19 Will Stevens Manor . 20 Roberto Mehri Manor (All no time) Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel was third fastest on his debut for Ferrari in the second session, with team-mate Kimi Raikkonen fourth best. But with Vettel's fastest time over seven tenths of a second adrift of Rosberg, the opening day's practice will strengthen belief that the first rounds of the new season may be a private duel for race wins between the Mercedes duo. Williams driver Valtteri Bottas posted the fifth-fastest lap, with Red Bull's new recruit Daniil Kvyat sixth in the second session. Kvyat's team-mate Daniel Ricciardo had a less memorable day. Tenth fastest in the first session, Ricciardo was forced to sit out the second after an engine problem, a fate also shared by Williams driver Felipe Massa. Toro Rosso's 17-year-old driver Max Verstappen impressed with the sixth-fastest time of the first session, before falling back to 14th-quickest in the second. Dogged by reliability problems during winter testing, the gloom in the McLaren garage followed drivers Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen onto the track. Rosberg is bidding to bounce back from last season's disappointment by clinching his maiden campaign . World champion Hamilton finished behind Rosberg in both practice sessions on Friday . Hamilton takes time out in the garage during the first practice session of the new season . McLaren endured a difficult day at the office with Kevin Magnussen slamming his McLaren into the barriers . Magnussen's McLaren is winched away by a tractor after he skidded into the gravel ain the second session . Magnussen, who has taken injured Fernando Alonso's seat at Albert Park, skidded into the gravel at turn six in the second session and his car had to be winched off the track. That was after he and Button finished slowest of the 15 cars in the first session that posted flying laps. Button improved in the second but only marginally to be 13th fastest. Having lost a legal challenge from dumped driver Giedo van der Garde, Sauber's troubled lead-up continued. Sauber's Marcus Ericsson takes to the track amid the team's off-track disputes . Jenson Button looks concerned in the McLaren garage after a disappointing day of practice . An Australian court found in favour of Van der Garde's bid to force Sauber to let him drive for them and the Dutchman's lawyers filed a contempt of court action against the Swiss team. Van der Garde was at Albert Park, suited up and apparently ready to drive, but neither he nor nominated drivers Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr drove in the first session. Swede Ericsson and Brazilian Nasr drove out for the second session but Ericsson crawled back to pit with smoke billowing from the rear of his car midway through. Manor Marussia, having only recently emerged from administration, were unable to put either of their cars on the track in the first session. Jenson Button is pictured ahead of the practice with his wife Jessica. He endured a tough day at the office . Hamilton speaks to the assembled media after the opening practice session Down Under . Jenson Button struggled in Melbourne as he and team-mate Kevin Magnussen finished at the back .
Mercedes dominated the practice sessions in Melbourne on Friday .
Nico Rosberg finished ahead of rival Lewis Hamilton in both sessions .
McLaren duo Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen struggled with the Dane crashing out of FP2 .
Sebastian Vettel was third on his debut for Ferrari in the second session .
Mercedes dominated free practice at Formula One's season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Friday, with Nico Rosberg edging his world champion team-mate Lewis Hamilton to top the timesheets in both sessions. German Rosberg, last year's championship runner-up, set the fastest lap of 1:27.697secs in the second session on a glorious day at Albert Park, topping Hamilton by one tenth of a second. Rosberg was also quickest in the first session, his best time of 1:29.557secs edging Hamilton as the constructors' champions carried their ominous form from winter testing onto the track. Nico Rosberg made a flying start to his season as he topped the timesheets in both practice sessions . Rosberg pictured in action ahead of Sunday's season opener at the Australian Grand Prix . Rosberg (centre) poses with crew members while wearing red noses but Lewis Hamilton went without . 1 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:29.557secs, . 2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:29.586 . 3 Valteri Bottas Williams 1:30.748 . 4 Carlos Sainz Jnr Toro Rosso 1:31.014 . 5 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1:31.029 . 6 Max Verstappen Toro Rosso 1:31.067 . 7 Felipe Massa Williams 1:31.188 . 8 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1:31.310 . 9 Pastor Maldonado Lotus 1:31.451 . 10 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull 1:31.570 . 11 Daniel Kvyat Red Bull 1:32.073 . 12 Sergio Perez Force India 1:32.247 . 13 Nico Hulkenbrrg Force India 1:32.261 . 14 Jenson Button McLaren 1:34 . 15 Kevin Magnussen 1:34.785 . 16 Romain Grosjean Lotus 2:17.782 . 17 Marcus Ericsson Sauber . 18 Felipe Nasr Sauber . 19 Will Stevens Manor . 20 Roberto Merhi Manor (All no time) 1 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:27.697secs . 2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:27.797 . 3 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1:28.412 . 4 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1:28.842 . 5 Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:29.265 . 6 Daniil Kvyat Red Bull 1:30.016 . 7 Carlos Sainz Jnr Toro Rosso 1:30.071 . 8 Pastor Maldonado Lotus 1:30.104 . 9 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:30.205 . 10 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1:30.473 . 11 Felipe Nasr Sauber 1:30.755 . 12 Sergio Perez Force India 1:30.980 . 13 Jenson Button McLaren 1:31.387 . 14 Max Verstappen Toro Rosso 1:31.395, . 15 Marcus Ericsson Sauber 1:32.303 . 16 Kevin Magnussen McLaren 1:33.289 . 17 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull . 18 Felipe Massa Williams . 19 Will Stevens Manor . 20 Roberto Mehri Manor (All no time) Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel was third fastest on his debut for Ferrari in the second session, with team-mate Kimi Raikkonen fourth best. But with Vettel's fastest time over seven tenths of a second adrift of Rosberg, the opening day's practice will strengthen belief that the first rounds of the new season may be a private duel for race wins between the Mercedes duo. Williams driver Valtteri Bottas posted the fifth-fastest lap, with Red Bull's new recruit Daniil Kvyat sixth in the second session. Kvyat's team-mate Daniel Ricciardo had a less memorable day. Tenth fastest in the first session, Ricciardo was forced to sit out the second after an engine problem, a fate also shared by Williams driver Felipe Massa. Toro Rosso's 17-year-old driver Max Verstappen impressed with the sixth-fastest time of the first session, before falling back to 14th-quickest in the second. Dogged by reliability problems during winter testing, the gloom in the McLaren garage followed drivers Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen onto the track. Rosberg is bidding to bounce back from last season's disappointment by clinching his maiden campaign . World champion Hamilton finished behind Rosberg in both practice sessions on Friday . Hamilton takes time out in the garage during the first practice session of the new season . McLaren endured a difficult day at the office with Kevin Magnussen slamming his McLaren into the barriers . Magnussen's McLaren is winched away by a tractor after he skidded into the gravel ain the second session . Magnussen, who has taken injured Fernando Alonso's seat at Albert Park, skidded into the gravel at turn six in the second session and his car had to be winched off the track. That was after he and Button finished slowest of the 15 cars in the first session that posted flying laps. Button improved in the second but only marginally to be 13th fastest. Having lost a legal challenge from dumped driver Giedo van der Garde, Sauber's troubled lead-up continued. Sauber's Marcus Ericsson takes to the track amid the team's off-track disputes . Jenson Button looks concerned in the McLaren garage after a disappointing day of practice . An Australian court found in favour of Van der Garde's bid to force Sauber to let him drive for them and the Dutchman's lawyers filed a contempt of court action against the Swiss team. Van der Garde was at Albert Park, suited up and apparently ready to drive, but neither he nor nominated drivers Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr drove in the first session. Swede Ericsson and Brazilian Nasr drove out for the second session but Ericsson crawled back to pit with smoke billowing from the rear of his car midway through. Manor Marussia, having only recently emerged from administration, were unable to put either of their cars on the track in the first session. Jenson Button is pictured ahead of the practice with his wife Jessica. He endured a tough day at the office . Hamilton speaks to the assembled media after the opening practice session Down Under . Jenson Button struggled in Melbourne as he and team-mate Kevin Magnussen finished at the back .
with Nico Rosberg edging his world champion world champion Sebastian Vettel was third fastest on his debut for Ferrari in the second session, Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen onto the track. behind Rosberg in both practice sessions on pictured ahead of the practice with his wife Button struggled in Melbourne as he and