Australian Grand Prix: Hamilton gets off to flying start

World championship favourites Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen set the fastest times in Friday practice ahead of Sunday's Australian Grand Prix.

World champion Raikkonen's Ferrari set the fastest time of the day to be 0.487 seconds quicker than Hamilton's McLaren in the first session.

But the Briton was on top in the afternoon, with Raikkonen sixth.

Ferrari's Felipe Massa was third in both sessions, with Fernando Alonso sixth and 13th in his Renault.

Hamilton's McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen was fourth fastest in both sessions.

The pace of the Red Bull also caught the eye - Australian Mark Webber was second fastest in the afternoon session and fifth fastest in the morning, while team-mate David Coulthard, of Scotland, was fifth fastest in the afternoon.

The practice sessions took place in searing temperatures, with a high of 38C. Coulthard told 5 Live that the cockpit temperature of his car was pushing 60C.

Hamilton said: "It's great to be back racing and being here in Melbourne where I started my Formula 1 career only a year ago.

"It's always a special feeling to go out of the garage for the first time in practice at the start of a new season.

"There was some good progress with the car, and we made the best use of the ever-improving track conditions.

"Ferrari look strong, but it's still too early to tell exactly where we are in comparison. All in all, a good start to the Australian Grand Prix and the season."

Raikkonen, who won in Melbourne last year, was less pleased with his Ferrari.

"I'm not very happy with the way practice went," he said. "This morning we found some good settings for the car but in the afternoon we struggled and our lap times reflect that.

"We must look carefully at the data to work out how to improve the car."