Massa promoted to seventh

Lewis Hamilton's Formula One lead was cut to five points at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday after Ferrari title rival Felipe Massa was promoted from eighth to seventh place. The Brazilian was handed the extra point when stewards imposed a 25 second...

Lewis Hamilton's Formula One lead was cut to five points at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday after Ferrari title rival Felipe Massa was promoted from eighth to seventh place.

The Brazilian was handed the extra point when stewards imposed a 25 second post-race penalty on Toro Rosso's Sebastien Bourdais for tangling with Massa on lap 51 after the French driver had exited the pits.

Bourdais finished the race in sixth place and dropped to 10th after the penalty.

The placing gained left Massa on 79 points to 84 for McLaren's Hamilton, with two races remaining.

Hamilton finished 12th at Fuji after starting the race on pole and receiving a drive-through penalty for a risky first corner move.

Massa was similarly penalised after shunting Hamilton on lap two, forcing the McLaren to spin and leaving the Briton in 18th place. Sunday's race was won by Renault's Fernando Alonso.

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