Friday 13 did n't leave Mercedes red-faced as they dominated free practice at Formula One 's season-opening Australian Grand Prix , but they did emit a crimson complexion of a different kind as they showed their support for Red Nose Day . Last season 's F1 World Constructors ' Championship champions wore red noses in support for the British charity . Defending World Champion Lewis Hamilton was the only one from the party to not be seen wearing a red nose , but the British racer did wear a T-shirt backing . Mercedes F1 team showed their support for Red Nose Day by wearing merchandise on Friday . Mercedes ' drivers Lewis Hamilton ( left ) and Nico Rosberg both also wore T-shirts in support of Red Nose Day . Rosberg wore the red nose while conducting interviews and signing autographs to fans at Albert Park . Captioned with the slogan ' I think I may be the voice of a generation , ' the 30-year-old is all smiles as he poses for photographs with team-mate Nico Rosberg . Rosberg was also pictured wearing a T-shirt , as well as a red nose , for the biennel telethon charity event which takes over the BBC on Friday evening . And Friday 's F1 practice proved a good one for the German as he 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 . 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 . The German 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 . 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 . 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 . At the other end of the grid , and dogged by reliability problems during winter testing , the gloom in the McLaren garage followed drivers Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen onto the track . 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 . McLaren endured a difficult day at the office with Kevin Magnussen slamming his car into the barriers . Magnussen 's McLaren is winched away by a tractor after he skidded into the gravel ain the second session . Magnussen 's team-mate Jenson Button ( left ) looks concerned after a disappointing day of practice . Button struggled in Melbourne as he and Magnussen finished at the back in both free practice sessions . 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 )
Lewis Hamilton wore a Red Nose Day T-shirt in support of the charity . The Formula One world champion was pictured wearing the shirt at his home on Sunday and he later posted an image to Instagram with the caption: 'Happy Birthday @RedNose, I love you so Red Nose Day is a biennial telethon which will be screened on TV on Friday . Rosberg beat Hamilton in Australian Grand Prix free practice on Friday . CLICK HERE for all the latest Australian GP news and build up .