Ferrari gearbox trick to aid Alonso was legal, says FIA

Ferrari ruffled feathers when they deliberately broke a seal on Felipe Massa's gearbox so that he would incur a five-grid-place penalty.

That dropped the Brazilian to 11th but, crucially, moved title-contending team-mate Fernando Alonso across to seventh place on the clean side of the grid.

FIA stewards said that the ploy was completely legal but it left a bad taste in some mouths. It proved key to the Spaniard making a brilliant start to run fourth immediately as drivers on the dirty side of the grid lagged.

And it kept him in play for the world championship which will be settled in Brazil this weekend.