Bourdais penalty promotes Massa

Sunday, 12 October 2008 09:14

Sebastien Bourdais has been handed a 25-second penalty for his clash with Felipe Massa in the Japanese Grand Prix.

The ruling drops the Frenchman from sixth to 10th in the final classification and promotes Felipe Massa from eighth to seventh.

As a result the Brazilian shaves another point off Lewis Hamilton’s world championship lead, trimming it to five points with two races remaining.

Bourdais tangled with Massa on lap 51, when he emerged from his second pit stop at the same time as the Ferrari driver turned in to the first corner.

The Toro Rosso took the inside line and the two cars touched at the apex, knocking Massa into a spin.

As well as doubling Massa's points haul, the penalty ironically benefits Bourdais' stable-mates Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber, who move up to sixth and eighth respectively.


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