Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton was first in free practice for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix Friday but Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel ran him close and team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was fourth.
Hamilton covered Melbourne's Albert Park circuit in 1'23''620 and Vettel in 1'24''167.
"Tomorrow will be the real test, in qualification," said Vettel. Ferrari have been outpacing Mercedes in pre-season tests and are hoping to end the German team's three-year dominance of Formula One.
There have been a number of rule changes designed to increase speed this year.
Hamilton is out to earn his fourth title while former Red Bull driver Vettel is gunning for his fifth, and first with the Italian glamour team.
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