Stop kidding us, Lewis: Mercedes are the real favourites

For Mercedes, relief. For Red Bull and Ferrari, concern. For the rest of the field, that sinking feeling.

Mercedes dominated Friday practice, throwing off the shackles and leaving the rivals trailing in their wake. More specifically, Lewis Hamilton dominated proceedings, topping the timesheets in both sessions by over half a second. While the contest looks close between Valtteri Bottas and the Ferraris, Hamilton, in the words of his team boss, was "in a league of his own".

Friday Practice: Hamilton leaves his rivals behind

And his long-run pace was almost as ominous as his single-lap form: 17 laps on the ultrasofts with barely any degradation? Ouch. "It was 99 per cent perfect," Hamilton admitted.

Who did Lewis think he was kidding on Thursday when he said Ferrari were the Melbourne favourites?

But just as Testing is only Testing, Friday is only Friday. Ferrari tend to run heavy in practice, although Mercedes are also famous - or should that be notorious? - for turning up the power for qualifying. The mind games may be over but the fun and games have only just begun. Right now, however, there is only one car and one driver at the front.

"Lewis is the absolute favourite," concluded Red Bull chief Christian Horner. "He was the favourite coming here and all today has done is underline that."

Bottas has just found out how quick Hamilton really is

It didn't look bad for Valtteri Bottas in winter testing. After a bedding-in week at the first test, Mercedes reckoned the Finn was within two tenths of Hamilton on outright pace after week two. "So far it looks quite close," Valtteri told reporters after his final day of running at Barcelona.

And then the story moved on to Melbourne, the lights went green for the season's start and the picture was dramatically transformed. Bottas was half a second down on his team-mate in first practice. And then over half a second down again in second practice. The important caveat is that Valtteri - who has only previously driven for Williams in F1 - is still adapting and still acclimatising. He'll get quicker and he'll get better.

"The Mercedes sure is quick, but it's more Lewis at the moment then Valtteri," remarked Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo. "Valtteri looks like he's in the group with Ferrari."

But if this was Lewis flexing his muscles then it was an ominous show of strength and one which may give even the most-unflappable of characters a few sleepless nights. If he didn't know already quite what a tough task awaits him this year, he does now.

We always did say Nico Rosberg was under-rated...

Records set to tumble in F1 2017

In the 22nd running of the Australian GP in Melbourne, the record of Albert Park's fastest-ever lap was almost broken on the very first day of running with F1's new ultra-fast, ultra-aggressive 2017 machines. Lewis Hamilton's timesheet-topping 1:23.620 lap was within a tenth of Sebastian Vettel's benchmark of 1:23.529 from 2011, back when F1 cars had larger engines and the exhaust blowing effect for aerodynamic gain was at its height.

If Saturday's running is dry, then the six-year record will fall by the end of Practice Three - with the benchmark likely to be lowered into the 1:22s by the time the pole shootout comes around.

The sport doesn't always delivers on its promises, but a 2017 season of record-breaking lap times looks set to be one it does keep. F1's need for speed has returned, with a vengeance.

McLaren make progress - of sorts

It's a sign of how sharply - and quickly - expectations of McLaren have fallen at the start of F1's new rules era that their performance on Friday was considered both respectable and encouraging. No breakdowns, limited down-time in the garage, and the 12th-fastest lap delivered by Fernando Alonso.

But had you given the team and engine suppliers Honda that very scenario for day one in Melbourne 2017 six months ago, then they would have surely been concerned that an all-new car and engine was still mired in F1's congested midfield.

The struggles of testing have forced any loftier ambitions to be placed on hold, at least for the moment, and escaping Q1 on Saturday with both cars might still well be a challenge. But progress is progress and, after the horrors of winter in Barcelona, that must be providing some solace down under.