Formula One Merry-Go-Round Gathers Pace

Formula One thrives on rumour and gossip and, with just seven races remaining this season, the whispers are firming up while the deal makers move into overdrive.

The confirmation on Wednesday by Briton Johnny Herbert that he would leave Jaguar and Formula One at the end of the season surprised nobody but created the first official vacancy on the grid for next season.

At the same time, Canadian former world champion Jacques Villeneuve's decision to remain at BAR on a huge new three-year deal announced on Monday has clarified much and dampened some of the speculation.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen slotted in another piece of the jigsaw on Wednesday when he revealed he had signed a new two-year contract to remain at Jordan.

Both men had been linked with other teams, with 1997 champion Villeneuve tipped for a possible move to the Renault-owned Benetton team and Frentzen discussed as a possible target for Jaguar.

Villeneuve was central to the merry-go-round, much depending on where he ended up.

Now that is decided the remaining pieces of the jigsaw should fall into place.

With the two top teams line-ups confirmed -- Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard at McLaren and Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello at Ferrari -- the main thrust of the paddock gossip concentrates on a handful of drivers.

Whither Button?

Briton Jenson Button, the 20-year-old who has had an impressive debut season and become the youngest points scorer, will be a prime source of conversation at this weekend's German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.

His Williams team have yet to say who will partner Ralf Schumacher next season but most expect it to be Colombian CART champion Juan Pablo Montoya.

Button has been linked in the media to Villeneuve's BAR team as a replacement for Brazilian Ricardo Zonta and to Benetton where Austrian Alexander Wurz has disappointed.

Wurz has yet to score a point this season and has been subjected to regular articles predicting his imminent departure from the team run by Italian Flavio Briatore.

He said at his home grand prix this month that he would talk to various teams while team mate Giancarlo Fisichella, whose place was threatened by Villeneuve, said he wanted to stay but had "other options".

Button could also be considered by Jaguar who gave a test to Briton Dario Franchitti at Silverstone last week.

"We're compiling a list of drivers. Of course, there is interest in any driver who you would consider has the potential of being a major player," said former team owner Jackie Stewart after Franchitti's outing in the car.

Sauber have also yet to confirm their drivers.

Frenchman Olivier Panis, a previous Formula One winner, has spent the season as McLaren's test driver but wants to return to the cut and thrust of racing.

Britain's Autosport magazine reported on Thursday that BAR were "thought to be on the verge of signing" him.

Benetton also have given extensive testing to teenage Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia while compatriot Luciano Burti drove for Jaguar in the Austrian Grand Prix after Eddie Irvine was struck down with abdominal pains.

The battle for engines is almost over.

Jordan signed a long-term deal with Honda last month and Arrows announced this week a two-year partnership with a company providing Peugeot engines.

That leaves the struggling French team run by former champion Alain Prost, who is looking for new investors and has been linked in the media to a group of Canadian businessmen, without an engine deal after Peugeot pulled out.