We decide drivers, warns Dennis

McLaren team boss Ron Dennis has said that in spite of David Coulthard's comments about his drive being firm next year, it is the team management that will decide the driver line-up, not the drivers

Although most pit lane observers think it highly unlikely that Mika Hakkinen will return to a Formula 1 cockpit after his sabbatical year, Dennis said: "I have had two long meetings with Mika and in the documentation which covers his involvement with us, there are some provisions dictating the timing for making a decision." Dennis added that it would be inappropriate to share them with the world, but suffice to say that there is still time before the deadline.

Dennis has always said that being faced with the availability of Hakkinen, Coulthard and Kimi Raikkonen for a two-car team would be a nice problem to have. Coulthard, however, said earlier this weekend that he was unconcerned about the issue because he already has a McLaren contract for next year.

It is believed that the Scot's contract does stipulate that he has to race and so McLaren does not have the option, for example, of retaining him but requiring him to head the test programme. Hakkinen faced that situation himself in 1993 when McLaren raced with Ayrton Senna and Michael Andretti.

Raikkonen, meanwhile, is believed to have only an option with McLaren for next year although there is not a serious question mark over the team retaining him.