Engine change for Ferrari’s Massa

Felipe Massa will start Sunday’s season opening Bahrain grand prix by using his second official engine.

Each driver is allocated a maximum of eight engines for the entire 19-race calendar, whereafter grid penalties begin to apply.

“Not the best start of the day,” a Ferrari official said on Sunday morning, explaining that the engine change is “precautionary”.  He said the removed engine will be used again in practice sessions later this season.

A statement added that the engine he used in qualifying showed “some abnormal parameters”.

Brazilian Massa is on the front row of the Sakhir grid with pole sitter Sebastian Vettel.

Saturday night also saw the start of a new ‘parc ferme’ procedure in F1, with cars zipped up in flyscreen-like covers in their garages.

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