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FIA investigating Massa grid error

ESPNF1 Staff
September 3, 2010 « 'I will take the title,' vows Vettel | »
Felipe Massa overshot his grid slot at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix © Getty Images
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The FIA is investigating how Felipe Massa escaped a penalty after overshooting his grid slot at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix.

Amateur footage posted on Youtube clearly showed Massa well ahead of his grid box as the cars assembled for the start of the race although stewards and rival teams apparently failed to notice or report Massa's error to race director Charlie Whiting.

It did not escape the attention of BBC commentator Martin Brundle, however, who commented that the Brazilian's Ferrari was at least "two metres" ahead of its starting box.

A report published in the Telegraph newspaper said the transponder on the floor of Massa's Ferrari did not send a signal to the tarmac sensor because he was too far out of position. Because the matter was not looked at in any further detail before the results became official, no further action will be taken.

"As no further information or complaints were received before the publication of the official result on Sunday night, the classification of the Belgian Grand Prix will now remain unchanged," said an FIA spokeswoman.

"The FIA are investigating the causes of the apparent failures in communication with race control in order to ensure a repetition is not possible."

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