FIA investigates Massa's Belgian GP grid error
The FIA has launched an investigation why Scuderia Ferrari driver Felipa Massa was able to start last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix slightly ahead of his grid slot. The error was not picked up at the time, but came to light as amateur video footage appeared on the internet.
The Brazilian's wrong positioning is in breach of the regulations, but the marshals and the electronic system in place on the grid did not detect this, so race director Charlie Whiting could not act on the breach.
A spokesperson of the FIA said: "The problem was not brought to the attention of the FIA race director by either the marshals nor the automatic jump start system in time to be able to apply the appropriate penalty for jump starts. 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.
"The FIA are investigating the causes of the apparent failures in communication with race control in order to ensure a repetition is not possible."
