Mercedes made the call to replace Lewis Hamilton with young phenom Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and the 18-year-old dazzled in his debut, finishing fourth in challenging conditions after starting in P16. For a moment it looked as if Antonelli would be demoted to fifth due to a five-second penalty that was assessed for an unsafe release,

Mercedes secures third and fourth positions in the Formula One season opener in Australia after challenging an untelevised penalty.

Kimi Antonelli was given a five-second time penalty at the chequered flag in Melbourne, before a successful petition from Mercedes to overturn it. Antonelli finished fourth on the road in what was a stellar debut race in Formula 1,