(MENAFN- Kora) Tipped as favourites for the Formula One season opener in Melbourne, Mercedes have lived up to the billing
Rosberg clocked a lap of one minute 29.375 seconds to be over a second faster than every other driver during an hour-long session, which saw most cars test their soft tyres
The German's team-mate Lewis Hamilton was fastest in second practice and Mercedes shape as being hard to beat on Sunday
McLaren's Jenson Button (+1.391) was second fastest, ahead of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso (+1.501) and Hamilton (+1.544)
Hamilton set the fastest time in the first sector during a lap but a mistake in the middle cost him a better position
Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo (+1.595), Force India's Nico Hulkenberg (+1.603), Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen (+1.781) and McLaren's Kevin Magnussen (+1.876) were within two seconds of Rosberg
Force India's Sergio Perez (+2.290) and Williams' Felipe Massa (+2.348) rounded out the top 10
Four-time reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel tried different settings on his Red Bull and was 12th fastest
With showers threatening to make for a wet session, drivers were conservative early as most stayed in the pits
Hamilton's 1:31.376 a quarter of the way through the stint was matched almost immediately by Rosberg
Brit Hamilton broke 1:31.00 to reclaim top spot and Mercedes never looked like giving it up despite Massa threatening in sunny and windy conditions
Rosberg switched to soft tyres to go above Hamilton and, while the likes of Button and Alonso improved, none were close to the Mercedes
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