The dominance of the MP4/13 was displayed in the opening race of 1998 in Australia, as Häkkinen and Coulthard finished a lap ahead of the rest of the field. Newey's aerodynamic design was by far the most efficient one and Mercedes produced the most powerful engine of the season. The team was aided by a unique brake-steer system which allowed the driver to use any one of the car's brakes independently to aid cornering, a system first used in 1997. The Ferrari team protested, stating that the brake-steer system was a violation of the technical rules, which banned four-wheel steering. The FIA eventually sided with Ferrari and the system was banned, although the team was allowed to keep their results up to that point.