Felipe Massa expects to get away slowly for the United States Grand Prix on Sunday because of his even numbered grid slot.
The Brazilian qualified seventh and therefore secured a grippier box, but was promoted a place due to Romain Grosjean’s gearbox penalty and therefore starts on the left-hand side which, due to the racing line being on the right, has very little in the way of grip.
“I think it will be the biggest difference you ever saw in our starts,” said the Ferrari driver. “I think it will be, I don’t know, it will be massive.
“This morning I did a start on the left and I was slower than in the wet.”
Meanwhile Lewis Hamilton agrees and says he has asked the FIA’s Charlie Whiting to clean the side up to ensure it isn’t too much of a disadvantage.
“I’m not really concerned about the first corner, I’m more concerned about the dirty side of the grid,” said Hamilton. “I did a little launch from it earlier on in FP3 and it was quite slippery so hopefully tomorrow is just about getting a good start.
“I hope we can get away well; we’re going to ask Charlie to clean that side of the grid so that the people on that side get an equal start and hopefully I can fight Sebastian down to turn one.”
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