Australian driver Oscar Piastri set the fastest time during the second practice session of the Australian Grand Prix, giving McLaren an encouraging start to the race weekend in Melbourne.

The session at Albert Park showed a highly competitive field, with several teams separated by only small margins as they continued fine-tuning their cars ahead of qualifying. While other teams set the pace earlier in the day, the second practice session saw cars powered by Mercedes engines climb to the top of the timesheets.

The factory team of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team appeared significantly stronger during the session, consistently placing their drivers near the front. Meanwhile, Ferrari remained within striking distance, showing solid pace that could keep them firmly in contention during qualifying.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton also delivered a competitive performance, placing himself among the faster drivers during the session. On the other hand, drivers such as Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen appeared to lose some ground compared with their earlier pace, though both remain serious contenders for the weekend.

With Friday’s practice sessions completed, attention now turns to the final preparations before qualifying, where teams will aim to convert their practice speed into strong grid positions for Sunday’s race.