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

Kimi Antonelli has returned to P4 on his Formula 1 debut in Melbourne after a successful Mercedes appeal. Antonelli had plenty of work ahead in his first grand prix, having dropped out in Q1 after kicking up the gravel and picking up damage to his Mercedes W16.

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,