From GMM

Amid the driver 'silly season', the speculation surrounding Mercedes-powered McLaren is rife: Heikki Kovalainen's future is unclear, and his expected successor Nico Rosberg is now linked instead with a move to Brawn GP-Mercedes.

McLaren may not make its announcements about drivers for the 2010 season until after November's Abu Dhabi finale, Norbert Haug suggested earlier this week.

"It is still very early. Perhaps we will announce our driver pairing at the end of the season, but that is not for sure," Mercedes' competition director Haug is quoted as saying.

It has also emerged that, despite previously scheduling the announcement for Monza, Mercedes will no longer publicise its plans for its 2010 customer engine programme this weekend.

Regarding the 'three car concept', le German add: "Perhaps Ferrari is interested because they have so many drivers under contract," the German added.

Norbert Haug is referring to the fact that, as well as being contractually obliged to both Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen for 2010, Ferrari has also apparently signed Fernando Alonso and remains interested in housing a Michael Schumacher comeback.

Williams has already indicated that it will block the introduction of the measure, and Mercedes' Norbert Haug told a-z.ch: "This (three cars) idea has not been thought through."

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali said that, contrary to Ferrari's wishes, he was not sure the three-car regime will arrive for 2010.

"It is difficult, unless the (three) new teams take a step back," he admitted in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.