MAGNY-COURS, FRANCE: Juan Pablo Montoya's departure from Formula One has handed the chance of a lifetime to McLaren hopefuls Lewis Hamilton and Gary Paffett.
The signs are that the team's coveted second race seat in 2007 will go to one of the two Britons, despite Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa replacing NASCAR-bound Colombian Montoya for the time being.
McLaren managing director Martin Whitmarsh said at the French Grand Prix that the team were unlikely to look beyond in-house candidates.
"We have a seat available and we've got some very good talent in the 'family' and we will work with that talent and eventually make what we think is the best decision for next year," he said.
"In this business anything is possible, but I think we are not looking actively outside of the family, so to speak."
Finland's Kimi Raikkonen is expected to move to Ferrari or Renault, leaving De la Rosa, Paffett and Hamilton as candidates to partner world champion Fernando Alonso when he moves from Renault.
At 35 years old, test driver De la Rosa can hardly be considered the future and having two Spaniards together would not be the most attractive option for sponsors.
That leaves the youngsters, despite McLaren's previous reluctance to put a rookie straight into one of their cars.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IES20060717105623&Page=S&Title=Sports&Topic=0&The Stig
I say give them a chance Sven never did it in the World Cup We could be sitting here with THE TROPHY If he did
Stig