Charles Leclerc of Ferrari topped the timesheets in the first practice session for the Australian Grand Prix, leading a strong Ferrari 1-2. Leclerc recorded a lap of 1 minute 20.267 seconds on soft tires.
His teammate Lewis Hamilton secured second place, nearly half a second behind. Four-time champion Max Verstappen for Red Bull was third fastest, with his new teammate Izack Hadjar in fourth.
McLaren experienced a difficult start. Lando Norris reported significant issues with his downshifts and cut his session short, clocking only the 19th fastest lap. Oscar Piastri, his teammate, finished sixth but experienced a throttle problem.
Early reliability concerns plagued several teams. Rookie Arvid Lindblad of Racing Bulls triggered a safety car, and Williams driver Alex Albon also stopped on the track.
The new hybrid engines are proving a challenge for drivers and teams, emphasizing energy management. Aston Martin, hampered by reliability issues in testing, saw Fernando Alonso unable to leave the garage, while Lance Stroll completed limited laps.
Mercedes' George Russell was seventh fastest, followed by Kimi Antonelli in eighth. Audi's drivers, Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg, finished ninth and tenth respectively. Newcomers Cadillac had a subdued start, with Valtteri Bottas 17th and Sergio Perez 20th.