Lewis Hamilton finished fifth in practice for the Australian Grand Prix as his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc led the way in Melbourne. Leclerc ended Formula One’s first running of the new season 0.124 seconds ahead of McLaren driver and home favourite Oscar Piastri.

Prior to Formula One 's first practice sessions of the new season, Hamilton - out-qualified and out-scored by George Russell at Mercedes last year and with just two victories from his last 69 appearances - insisted he was not feeling the pressure of a transfer billed as the biggest in the sport's 75-year history.