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 The 2008 world champion could not finish a lap in the first
session due to an oil pressure sensor problem, but topped the
timesheets in the second with a lap of one minute 29.625 seconds on
a glorious sunny day at Albert Park.
Champions Red Bull, who arrived under a cloud after problems
throughout winter testing, also made a promising start and breathed
a sigh of relief.
Quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel finished an encouraging
fourth on the timesheets, with his new team mate Daniel Ricciardo
sixth behind McLaren's Jenson Button.
Hamilton's quickest lap edged out team mate Nico Rosberg by 0.157
seconds as the pace of the two Mercedes' drivers carried on from
their strong showing in winter testing.
"I was trying to feel the car. I missed obviously P1 (first
practice) which I felt like was a big back-step," Hamilton told
reporters in the paddock.
"I'm satisfied with P2...Not the most perfect day but I'm really
glad I got some run in P2 and just grateful I got some time to feel
the car."
"I've still got a lot to improve on, a lot to find. Otherwise the
balance doesn't feel too bad."
Teams struggled to come to terms with the new turbocharged hybrid
engines during pre-season, and continued to battle glitches during
practice, with drivers cooling their heels for long stretches in the
garages, as technicians tinkered frantically.
Excursions onto the track saw plenty of over-steering at corners and
skids into the grass as drivers fought to handle the new braking
systems, extra torque and reduced downforce of the V6 power units.
Ferrari's two-time world champion Fernando Alonso handled conditions
better than most, posting the quickest lap of one minute 31.840
seconds in the first session and finishing third fastest in the
second.
His new teammate Kimi Raikkonen, returning to Ferrari after four
seasons away, had a low-key start, posting the seventh fastest time
in the second session after being rolled back to the garage due to
an aborted start at the exit of the pit lane.
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HEAT PROBLEM
German Vettel, bidding for a fifth successive F1 title, was forced
to pit quickly in the first session due to a heat problem and
survived a skid on the grass in the second but his 51 laps for the
day was a third of his total mileage for the winter.
"I'm quite surprised today, both Dan (Ricciardo) and I did a lot of
laps so that's very good news, so let's see what tomorrow brings,"
Vettel said. "I learned a lot today, we're in a much happier place
already."
Hamilton was left fuming when his car stopped at turn nine of his
installation lap just five minutes into the first session.
With the vehicle hauled off by a tow-truck, the 29-year-old Briton
walked back to the paddock without taking his helmet off and
suffered the indignity of being stopped by security before
retreating into his team's tent.
Brazilian Felipe Massa was 12th fastest for Williams, outshone in
his first drive for the British-based team by Finnish team mate
Valtteri Bottas, who was eighth quickest in the second practice.
Lotus, who missed the first test of the season because their car was
not ready on time, suffered a black day with only French driver
Romain Grosjean able to post a lap time, his best only 18th from 19
cars in the later session.
McLaren's Kevin Magnussen was the best of the three F1 rookies, the
Dane ninth fastest in P2.
Kamui Kobayashi's return to F1 with Caterham was forgettable, as
both he and his debutant team mate Marcus Ericsson were unable to
post a lap time in either session due to reliability issues.
(Editing by Patrick Johnston/Alan)
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