Behind the scenes at Ferrari and McLaren

Therefore, I would expect a Tuesday morning announcement which will allow for the news to hit the Autosprint and Autosport magazine deadlines. Either that, or they'll stall for Suzuka as all the journalists will go to Japan direct from here. Very few will return to Europe. 

Maybe they'll just issue a press release but given this is one of the most greatly anticipated stories of the year, why not hire dancing girls...

What started as a wild rumour about McLaren is looking much more firm. McLaren deny they have a pre-contract with Kimi, but I gather there is an agreement in place now, where Santander will pay the Finn's salary. There are a few things which seem odd with this deal:

1) Kimi didn't enjoy his time at McLaren and, while he's become disenchanted at Ferrari because who would want to drive for a team that didn't want them, he found the culture at Maranello much more to his liking. At least at first. There is a new culture at McLaren due to Martin Whitmarsh, but how much of that is just decoration? They might do afternoon cocktails for the press now, and they might do funny viral videos, but I cannot believe the team has undergone a heart transplant. No way.

2) I understand that Anthony Hamilton has some say in who is Lewis's team mate, and has the right to veto. Apparently he wasn't too keen about Nico Rosberg and, and I stress this is just the rumour, that is what drove Mercedes to buy into Brawn - to put Rosberg there, who would be a great ambassador for them. Now, Nico can be quick but he isn't Kimi Raikkonen. Kimi can be slow, but if he has a sniff of a win I still don't think there's a faster man in F1. So if the McLaren is competitive next year, and Kimi gets equal equipment to Lewis, there could be a civil war. Lewis would be in big trouble, because his psychological games might work with Alonso but it'll all be water off a duck's back for the ice man. Instead, Lewis could be the one that falls apart this time. McLaren won't allow that, after all the time and investment they put into Hamilton. That would be pissing on the metaphorical chips.

3) McLaren didn't get on that well with Kimi because he's totally his own man, he's an individual, and that doesn't fit the Mclaren mould. Plus, though as i say I think Kimi is still the quickest guy when motivated, he is on his last contract I'd say - in two years time, he'll want to retire. Kimi has always said he'll get out of this game early. Wouldn't it be better for McLaren to get a nice, quick, malleable guy who will stick around for a minimum of three or four years and compliment the sponsors? That man is Timo Glock.

And if I were to risk a bit of in-fighting by pairing Lewis with a threat - a quick driver who puts himself before the team (and a proper racing driver will always do that) - the choice is simple: Robert Kubica.

Kubica and Hamilton would be fast and consistent. Everyone talks of the similarities between Lewis and Ayrton. I can see the same between Robert and Alain.

Here's a bit of fun - found on the web by James 'Salmon' Roberts of F1 Racing today. Who says Raikkonen lacks leadership skills...