Max Verstappen set the pace during Friday’s first free practice session for the Australian Grand Prix, leading the way from Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez at a cloudy but dry Albert Park Circuit.

After their back-to-back one-two finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Red Bull continued where they left off in FP1 as Verstappen headed straight out on soft tyres to lead the opening exchanges from Perez, who began his session on mediums.

Red Bull’s early laps also offered a glimpse at the upgrades they have brought Down Under, with the already-rapid RB19 sporting a new front wing endplate, additional front wing changes and a tweak to rear-end bodywork to aid cooling.