Kimi the key in driver merry-go-round

MCLAREN driver Juan Pablo Montoya has admitted he is unable to make a decision on his Formula One future, while team-mate Kimi Raikkonen remains undecided on his plans for 2007.

Both drivers are out of contract at McLaren, come the end of the season, but Montoya doubts whether he will have any concrete plans in place before Raikkonen, a Ferrari target, decides where his future lies.

“I’m looking around like everyone else, but around you can’t hear anything but talks of Raikkonen going to Ferrari,” Montoya said.

“Or there are people saying he wants Renault, or he wants BMW, et cetera. All you hear about is Kimi,” he added.

With world champion Fernando Alonso confirmed in the McLaren squad for next year, Montoya is likely to find himself surplus to requirements should Raikkonen decide he wants to stay with the Woking-based team, with team boss Ron Dennis making no secret of the fact he wants to keep the rapid Finn on the payroll.

But the former Williams man insists that uncertainty over his future will not distract him from the task in hand this year.

“At the moment I’m concentrating more on this season.

“I only try to do my job the best I can and, when the time will come, we’ll take the best decision for myself,” he said.

With Raikkonen unlikely to confirm his future plans anytime soon, 30-year-old Montoya faces an uncertain period, but is adamant he will have plenty of potential suitors when the time comes to make a decision.

“There could be a place available at Toyota, BMW will have to try to improve, and the same goes for Renault. If you look around there’s nothing but available seats,” he said.

Meanwhile, Renault team principal Flavio Briatore has tipped Giancarlo Fisichella to mount a challenge for this year’s drivers’ title.

Fisichella suffered a torrid time at the wheel of the R25 last season, claiming just one victory to team-mate Fernando Alonso’s seven, and ending the season 75 points adrift of the new world champion.

But a dominant lights-to-flag win last time out in Malaysia has given 33-year-old former Sauber driver fresh impetus heading into this weekend’s race in Melbourne - the scene of his single triumph last season - and his boss is confident the Italian’s upward trend can continue.

“I think we can expect to see four drivers fighting for the championship,” Briatore said.

“Fernando, of course, Michael, if the car is right, Kimi, and Fisichella. He is strong in the team this year, and we have already seen what he can do in Malaysia.”