Mercedes Wins Appeal: Antonelli’s P4 Reinstated After FIA Ruling

Mercedes successfully overturned Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s penalty at the Australian GP, with FIA reviewing new footage and restoring his well-earned fourth-place finish.

At the end of the Australian Grand Prix, Andrea Kimi Antonelli was handed a penalty for an unsafe release—exiting the pit lane in front of Nico Hülkenberg in a way deemed unsafe.

As a result, five seconds were added to his race time, dropping him behind Alex Albon, who he had just overtaken. However, shortly after the race, Mercedes submitted a request for the decision to be reviewed, arguing that video evidence showed Antonelli’s release was not dangerous.

After analyzing the footage, the FIA accepted Mercedes’ argument and officially removed Antonelli’s five-second penalty. The governing body confirmed that the new evidence was both significant and relevant.

“There is a new, significant, and relevant element that was not available to the party requesting the review at the time of the initial decision.”

The key factor? A newly presented roll-hoop camera video that was not accessible during the initial ruling.

Exclusive Footage Clears Antonelli: FIA Overturns Penalty Decision

“The applicant provided footage from the roll-hoop camera, which was not available at the time of the decision. This video was deemed crucial by the stewards and had only been downloaded from the F1 camera system after the race.”

Upon reviewing the footage, the stewards determined that their initial decision was incorrect:

“It is clear that Car 12 did not enter the fast lane until it had traveled a significant distance in the pit lane, and only after the driver checked his mirrors to assess the gap to Car 27.”

The roll-hoop camera also confirmed that Antonelli had ample space to clear the McLaren pit area without posing any risk to the team’s mechanics.

With the penalty overturned, Antonelli rightfully regains his fourth-place finish—marking a small but crucial victory for Mercedes.