As Formula 1 headed towards Budapest after a three-week break - created by the cancellation of the German Grand Prix - paddock wisdom had it that Kimi Raikkonen held the keys to the driver market.
If the 2007 world champion retained his Ferrari cockpit, the driver market remained stable, went the theory. If not, his departure would reverberate down the grid.
Valtteri Bottas or Nico Hulkenberg, the latter driving with renewed vigour after scoring a superb Le Mans victory at his first attempt, would then line-up in red alongside Sebastian Vettel, went the line, with Hulkenberg poised to head back to Williams should Bottas replace his fellow Finn at Maranello.