Melbourne, Apr 8 (IANS): Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc topped the second practice with a time of 1m 18.978s - 0.25s ahead of Red Bull rival Max Verstappen at the Albert Park circuit here on Friday.

Verstappen jumped to second with his opening soft-tyred runs compromised by traffic, then a lock-up in Sector 3 before the Dutchman finally managed a more representative lap on worn tyres to finish 0.245s off Leclerc -- and drop Ferra'i's Carlos Sainz to third. Sainz started the Australian Grand Prix weekend on the front foot as the Spaniard topped the first free practice session.

Lewis Hamilton was left grasping for answers as Mercedes' struggles continued at free practice at the Australian Grand Prix on Friday.

After posting the seventh fastest lap in the first free practice, Hamilton could only manage the 13th quickest in the second session despite some tweaks to his car. His teammate George Russell was sitting at P11.

Alpine's Fernando Alonso put in a blistering lap to take P4 at Sergio Perez's expense, while Alonso's teammate Esteban Ocon was sixth.

Valtteri Bottas's medium-tire pace was strong but he dropped to seventh for Alfa Romeo, finishing ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris. Norris's team-mate Daniel Ricciardo managed to get P10.

Sebastian Vettel's FP1 session ended prematurely with smoke coming out of his AMR22 -- the four-time champion turning fireman, then scooter driver with a post-session lap of the circuit. Vettel didn't emerge for FP2 and therefore ended up 20th, without a time on the board - the team having had to replace his Mercedes power unit.

"Yes, I think already today they have more than what they've shown just because they did not put the lap together," said Leclerc after FP2 on Friday. "Max had a bit of traffic in his fast lap. It is going to be very close, so we will have to maximise our car to be starting on pole on Sunday."

Leclerc also remarked on the challenging brand-new layout that Albert Park boasted for its return to the F1 calendar, with numerous reprofiled corners greeting the drivers Down Under.

"It's a very tricky track. I mean it's quicker than before, quite slippery also but it's always the case on Friday here, because obviously we have not been driving here for two days and there are no other races during the year, I think," he said.