Haas's Nico Hulkenberg (35) ended up seventh in the race at Albert Park despite being fourth when it was stopped for the third and final time.

After lengthy deliberations, stewards decided the race would finish according to grid positions at the restart with a lap behind a safety car minus the cars that had crashed.

That meant Hulkenberg finished seventh, according to the race's provisional classification.

Stewards agreed to consider the Haas protest but ruled that the race director had acted appropriately, with a prompt decision needed, and dismissed it.

The points still lifted Haas to seventh in the constructors' championship.