Hamilton edges Verstappen to lead Australia FP2

Defending F1 world champion Hamilton started the new season by leading first practice on Friday ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas, and was able to double up by topping FP2 later in the afternoon.

Hamilton turned in a fastest lap time of 1:23.931 to finish one-tenth of a second clear of Verstappen in the lead Red Bull, with Bottas finishing a further one-tenth of a second back in the sister Mercedes to take P3 overall.

Kimi Raikkonen was the lead Ferrari in fourth place, but has been summoned to see the stewards after appearing to block Bottas early in the session, forcing the Mercedes driver to take to the gravel.

Sebastian Vettel finished fifth in the second Ferrari, half a second back from Hamilton at the front, while Romain Grosjean and Haas once again led the midfield by taking sixth place overall.

Daniel Ricciardo wound up seventh for Red Bull after a red flag in the middle of the session prevented him from completing a qualifying simulation. The session was put on hold for a few minutes after a wire emerged on the main straight on the start/finish line, requiring recovery.

McLaren bounced back from a difficult first practice to get both its cars into the top 10 through Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne, with Kevin Magnussen splitting the pair in the second Haas.

Carlos Sainz Jr. took 11th for Renault, finishing two places ahead of teammate Nico Hulkenberg. Force India drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon were 12th and 15th respectively, with Lance Stroll taking P14 for Williams.

Toro Rosso drivers Brendon Hartley and Pierre Gasly had quiet sessions en route to 16th and 17th, beating Williams' Sergey Sirotkin, while Sauber drivers Marcus Ericsson and Charles Leclerc propped up the running order in 19th and 20th respectively.

F1 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX - FP2 RESULTS