Ferrari successful with USGP grid move

The double champion and his team carried out a late evening campaign on Saturday to have the grid shifted because they feared Schumacher would be at a disadvantage when the lights changed.

They feared the Ferrari could lose grip or even crash as it accelerated away across the famous yard of bricks just two feet ahead of its nose at the start of the crucial world championship race.

Ironically it was rival Mika Hakkinen who pointed out the problem to Schumacher after he collared pole in qualifying.

Late Saturday there was still no official word from the FIA on the grid change but sources said it would be moved -- and the grid itself had already been re-painted.

"We were concerned and we expressed our concerns," said Ferrari team boss Jean Todt late Saturday evening. "And now we are waiting to hear what will happen.

"Who knows how a car would react on those bricks at the start? It could even be dangerous because we don't know what the car might do.

"The circuit doesn't have this problem with other races because they have a rolling start, but for a standing start it will be different."

The effect is negligible once cars are up to racing speed, but with pole just two feet away from the yard of bricks the effect could have been significant for Schumacher.

The Ferrari number one had earlier complained: "Its unfair if a driver has to suffer because he is on pole position," said the German.

The yard of bricks - a line as wide as nine ordinary household bricks laid sideways, that stretches from the outside edge of the circuit across the pitlane and under the control tower pagoda - is a part of circuit folklore harking back to the days when the entire track was made of bricks - hence the nickname "The Brickyard".

For the starting grid for the US GP click HERE.