Unites States Grand Prix 2012: Ferrari bend rules with Felipe Massa gearbox change

Ferrari bend rules to seal Alonso advance after hitting their own driver with five-place penalty | UPDATED: 22:38 GMT, 18 November 2012 Ferrari bent the rules and rode their luck to keep Fernando Alonso's title challenge alive by the slenderest of margins with one race remaining. The team broke the seal on Felipe Massa's gearbox before the race to incur a five-place grid penalty, thus promoting his tem-mate Alonso to seventh on the grid, and the clean side of the track. The Spaniard, who made the most of the dubious tactic to catapult himself to fourth place by Turn One, said: 'We know our championship is still alive thanks to the first lap