Lewis Hamilton: My F1 car is 99 percent perfect

Melbourne: Lewis Hamilton set the pace for reigning champions Mercedes on the opening day of practice for Formula One's season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The Briton, who also topped the timesheets in yesterday morning's opening 90-minute session, ended the day with a benchmark time of one minute 23.620 seconds around Melbourne's 5.3-kilometer long Albert Park circuit.

Engine issues for Vettel
Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, only sixth in the morning after being hindered by a power unit issue, ended the day second. Mercedes' new recruit Valtteri Bottas, completing a Mercedes one-two behind his teammate in the morning, was third.

Hamilton's overall best was good enough to eclipse both by over half a second, however, in an ominous display of supremacy from the triple champion that dented hopes the new season, featuring new-look cars, could see a closer battle at the front.

"My car is 99 percent perfect. It's feeling great out there and the guys have done a fantastic job," said the 31-year-old.

"We've shown good form so far on both the long and short runs and we got every lap done that we wanted to," he added. Mercedes and Hamilton head into the season as favourites for the championship.

Lewis Hamilton

However, testing ahead of a season of major rule changes had hinted Ferrari and possibly Red Bull could fight them for the title, raising hopes the German marque, winners of 51 of the last 59 races, could be unseated as Formula One's dominant force.

"I hope not," Vettel responded when he was asked if Ferrari's practice showing was representative of their true form. "I think we can still improve. The car doesn't yet feel as good as it should and as it can," said the German.

Perez fastest for Force India
Sergio Perez was the fastest of the pink-liveried Force India cars in 11th with his new teammate Esteban Ocon 13th. McLaren's Fernando Alonso was 12th with his teammate Stoffel Vandoorne 17th.