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 Hamilton 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 .