Schuey and Williams top of the pops

Michael Schumacher, unsurprisingly, and Williams - more surprisingly in view of the fact that it goes into the Japanese Grand Prix three points shy of Ferrari - were the popular choices when leading team movers were asked to predict this year's champions in Friday's FIA press conference at Suzuka

Williams technical director Patrick Head said: "I think Michael Schumacher will win the drivers' championship but Kimi Raikkonen has had a fantastic season and has driven extremely well. And I think Williams will win the constructors' championship! The simplest way to do that is to finish 1-2 here, and that is our target."

BAR's Geoff Willis stated: "If you are talking about who I'd like to win the championship I must say I would have liked to see Juan Pablo Montoya win it. He is a very open character with a competitive nature. But I think it will be Michael winning the drivers title and I'd like to think my old team [Williams] has a good chance of winning the constructors."

Toyota's Ove Andersson also plumped for Michael and Williams and it was Paul Stoddart who was the first to cast his vote for the red corner: "Michael will win the drivers' and I'd like to think that Williams could win the constructors' but it will be Ferrari.

Peter Sauber also went for Schumacher but in typical Swiss tradition, remained neutral when it came to the team war...