Fight for Monty's seat

[Wizzo]

Lewis Hamilton and Gary Paffett face a Battle of the Brits shootout for the vacant Formula One seat at McLaren.

The duo will be handed their chance to impress this season after Montoya was sensationally axed by the team.

Montoya has been given a £2million pay-off after upsetting team chiefs by prematurely revealing three days ago that he would race in the NASCAR series in the United States next season.

Experienced test driver Pedro de la Rosa has been drafted in as an emergency replacement for this weekend’s French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours.

But the McLaren refused to confirm the Spaniard will drive the remaining eight races.

That has left the way open for Hamilton and Paffett to stake their claim for a full-time race seat in 2007.

Paffett, last year’s German Touring Car Champion, believes he is in pole position to see off wonderkid Hamilton, having been testing for McLaren all season.