Antonelli retains fourth in Australia after stewards overturn unsafe release penalty
Mercedes successfully overturned a five-second time penalty given to Kimi Antonelli at the Australian Grand Prix, restoring his fourth-place finish after initially being demoted to fifth behind Alex Albon.
Mercedes F1 car racing at speed
The penalty, issued for an alleged unsafe release in the pit lane involving Nico Hulkenberg's Stake car, was reversed after Mercedes presented new evidence from Antonelli's roll hoop camera footage, which wasn't available during the initial decision.
The stewards' review of the new footage, along with additional helicopter camera angles, revealed that Antonelli's car didn't enter the fast lane until well down the pit lane, only after checking his mirrors for clearance with Hulkenberg's car. The footage also showed sufficient space to safely pass the McLaren pits without risk to mechanics.
Antonelli, who started 16th in the race, had overtaken Albon late in the proceedings but couldn't establish the five-second gap needed to maintain position under the original penalty.
The decision has significant championship implications, as Mercedes now draws level with McLaren in the constructors' standings at 27 points, though McLaren maintains the advantage thanks to Lando Norris's race victory worth 25 points.