Charles Leclerc finished fastest in the opening free practice session of the new Formula One season at the Australian Grand Prix, leading a strong showing for Scuderia Ferrari.
The Monegasque driver posted a best lap of 1:20.267, placing him four-tenths of a second ahead of his team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who secured second place in the session. Much of the early running was dominated by Ferrari and Red Bull Racing.
Max Verstappen finished third for Red Bull, while rookie Isack Hadjar placed fourth in the team’s second car.
Difficult Session for Several Teams
The practice session saw several interruptions and technical problems across the field.
Aston Martin F1 Team endured a particularly difficult outing. Fernando Alonso did not take part in the session, while team-mate Lance Stroll completed only three laps.
Reigning champion Lando Norris also encountered trouble after his McLaren car suffered a gearbox issue that forced him to retire early.
There were further stoppages when Arvid Lindblad and Alexander Albon both halted on track during the session.
Top 10 in Free Practice 1
Behind the leading quartet, Lindblad finished fifth for Racing Bulls. Oscar Piastri was sixth for McLaren, followed by George Russell and Kimi Antonelli for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team.
Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg rounded out the top 10 for Audi F1 Team.
Further down the order, Carlos Sainz Jr. placed 12th for Williams Racing, while Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez finished near the back for Cadillac Formula One Team.
