Demotion moves title-chasing Alonso up a position to seventh
Saturday 24 November 2012 19:48, UK
Fernando Alonso's hopes of overturning the odds and ending the Brazilian GP as a three-times World Champion have been handed a small boost with the news that Pastor Maldonado has been demoted ten grid places for missing a weighbridge call during qualifying.
In addition to starting one place higher on the grid than he would have otherwise, the additional boost for Alonso is that he will now start from the clean side of the grid - although the difference between the two sides is not as pronounced as in Austin last week, when Ferrari deliberately broke the seal on Felipe Massa's gearbox to inact the same result. The Ferrari number one will also therefore start one position closer to title rival Sebastian Vettel, the German to line up fourth. Alonso must finish at least third in Sunday's season-ending race to have any hope of winning the Drivers' title.
