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[vlad]

I hope Massa outscores Alonso. Just for a payback.

What are your thoughts on pitting a driver early to get them out of the way of another?

He needed to pit, one way or another. But they did NOT force him to to start from the pitlane.

[Hammer278]

Sky Sports F1 has learnt that Ferrari are considering triggering a grid penalty against Felipe Massa that would see Fernando Alonso move to the clean side of the U.S. GP grid.

Somewhat ironically, Massa himself spoke of the fears of starting from the dirty side of the grid on Saturday night, telling reporters: "We did a practice start there at the end of qualifying and it showed that acceleration was worse even than from a wet track."

According to Sky Sports F1 commentary expert Mark Hughes, writing in the Sunday Times, such is the disadvantage of starting from the dirty side of the grid, that 'Red Bull's analysis suggests that the blunted acceleration resulting from the extra wheelspin would cost the equivalent of three grid rows.'

More to follow...

That has to be an exaggeration, so each car on the dirty side could lose up to 3 places at the start? This is a new track for both sides of the grid....at most there's a bit more dirt offline, it's not like everyone on the right side will get a perfect acceleration of the grid since this is a new track for them as well! Unless the surface of the track differs in each half!? Which is preposterous.

You're mostly right Hammer, having said that, the dirty side will be worse than normal simply because the track is so new/green.

If Ferrari does this I wonder if RB will try and counter by changing Webbers gearbox. I don't think it would be worth it because that would mean moving Nando ahead yet again and ahead of Mark. I'd love to be a fly on the wall if/when Helmut had to break that news to Mark.

WTF are you talking about? MW is already on the clean side last time I looked at the grid...

He's saying Redbull might want to counter by forcing Webber to get a 5 place penalty so Alonso is put back on the dirty side....

[vlad]

It wouldn't help at all, it would just move Alonso 1 step further up the grid.

[darwin dali]

Sky Sports F1 has learnt that Ferrari are considering triggering a grid penalty against Felipe Massa that would see Fernando Alonso move to the clean side of the U.S. GP grid.

Somewhat ironically, Massa himself spoke of the fears of starting from the dirty side of the grid on Saturday night, telling reporters: "We did a practice start there at the end of qualifying and it showed that acceleration was worse even than from a wet track."

According to Sky Sports F1 commentary expert Mark Hughes, writing in the Sunday Times, such is the disadvantage of starting from the dirty side of the grid, that 'Red Bull's analysis suggests that the blunted acceleration resulting from the extra wheelspin would cost the equivalent of three grid rows.'

More to follow...

That has to be an exaggeration, so each car on the dirty side could lose up to 3 places at the start? This is a new track for both sides of the grid....at most there's a bit more dirt offline, it's not like everyone on the right side will get a perfect acceleration of the grid since this is a new track for them as well! Unless the surface of the track differs in each half!? Which is preposterous.

You're mostly right Hammer, having said that, the dirty side will be worse than normal simply because the track is so new/green.

If Ferrari does this I wonder if RB will try and counter by changing Webbers gearbox. I don't think it would be worth it because that would mean moving Nando ahead yet again and ahead of Mark. I'd love to be a fly on the wall if/when Helmut had to break that news to Mark.

WTF are you talking about? MW is already on the clean side last time I looked at the grid...

He's saying Redbull might want to counter by forcing Webber to get a 5 place penalty so Alonso is put back on the dirty side....

ooh, that would be deviously devilish

[elfinitty]

There were only rumors that Red Bull is planning the penalty for MW.

I think the dirty side would matter,every little thing matters!Mostly for Lewis,I guess.

[vlad]

Screw the dirty side, there is no way Webber starting behind Alonso is a better option than him starting on the clean side from P3.

[scotty]

If this gearbox changing stuff is true, it's just disgusting really, all that is wrong with modern F1. But i would have thought we'd have heard something official by now if it were true...

[vlad]

I know what you mean, Scotty, but it seems that they actually have gone that far... Crap!

[andrew]

It's Ferrari, what do you expect? Ethically, they are cheating but in reality they are just exploiting what is a ridiculous rule.

[vlad]

I feel bad for Massa, they are treating him like a piece of the car, nothing more...

[Hammer278]

If this gearbox changing stuff is true, it's just disgusting really, all that is wrong with modern F1. But i would have thought we'd have heard something official by now if it were true...

[vlad]

http://www.blogf1.it/2012/11/18/ufficiale-massa-penalizzato-alonso-partira-settimo/

Noobs.

[andrew]

I feel bad for Massa, they are treating him like a piece of the car, nothing more...

I now hope for Alonso to retire. It'll be a real facepalm moment for Ferrari after putting all their eggs in one basket.

I guess this is his punishment for out-qualifying Alonso.

[andrew]

http://www.blogf1.it/2012/11/18/ufficiale-massa-penalizzato-alonso-partira-settimo/

Noobs.

Disgusting!

[vlad]

It's the Italian magic...