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Ferrari 'considering' grid change for U.S. GP

Teams fear slow start from slippery side of the grid

Sky Sports F1 has learnt that Ferrari are "evaluating the option" of making a change to Felipe Massa's gearbox that would trigger a penalty and see World Championship contender 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." Alonso, meanwhile, stressed the need for a good start as he considers that overtaking might prove difficult on the 5.513km track. "I'm sure that we will move up in the positions. But I think overtaking here will be tricky because the detection point and activation of DRS is just after the high-speed corners in the first sector," the Spaniard said. "The first lap will be the majority of the places we can gain. We need to plan." 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.' However, were Massa to shift position, it may prompt a reactive strike in reponse, with Sky Sports News' Rachel Brookes tweeting 'other teams may find one of their driver needs a gearbox change & positions would change again!' Coverage of the U.S. GP begins exclusively live on Sky Sports F1 from 5.30pm

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