Niki Lauda has said that Melbourne proved Mercedes chose "the right driver" to replace reigning world champion Nico Rosberg for 2017.

During the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, now-retired Rosberg tweeted a photo showing him watching the race on TV with his wife and daughter.

Many people wanted Mercedes to hire a more 'exciting' replacement like Fernando Alonso to replace him, but after switching from Williams, Valtteri Bottas qualified and finished third in Australia.

"He did a faultless race under great pressure," F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman Lauda declared. "And his speed was not far from Lewis [Hamilton]'s. It was Rosberg-like.

"We selected exactly the right driver."

Indeed, while the Finnish driver admitted that he was "angry" after qualifying, he was happier following the race, having even got within overtaking distance of Hamilton.

As for attacking the Briton, Bottas said: "It would not have made any sense. To attack Lewis, I would have had to be at least two seconds faster than him, and I wasn't."

Another theory as to why Bottas did not attack is a rumour the new Mercedes is particularly bad at following in another car's aerodynamic wake.

"This is a questionable theory," Lauda insisted. "After one race I wouldn't make too many conclusions."

The season continues in two weeks' time with the Chinese Grand Prix.