By Biranit Goren Monday, November 5th 2007, 03:17 GMT
McLaren are in no hurry to sign up their second driver for the 2008 season, knowing the race seat vacated by Fernando Alonso is in high demand.
Alonso and McLaren parted ways on Friday by mutual agreement after a difficult season together. The two-time world champion has yet to reveal his plans for next season, while his former teammate Lewis Hamilton has said he would like to see McLaren choose 'a team player'.
"I have no clue who it's going to be, we can only guess," Hamilton said on Saturday. "I think Nick Heidfeld has already been signed to BMW, so I think there's Nico [Rosberg], Adrian Sutil, [Heikki Kovalainen].
"I think they are all fantastic drivers, and I know all of them quite well. If I could choose, I honestly don't know who I would pick. We need a team player."
But McLaren F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh has responded by making it clear his team will not pursue any driver who is not free to negotiate with McLaren and insisted they are in no rush to sort out their 2008 line-up.
"In truth I think we're rather dictating the driver transfer market at the moment," Whitmarsh told the Guardian. "Until the second McLaren drive is sorted out I don't think you'll see much movement, so we're not really hurried.
"Obviously there are some drivers who've approached us who are contracted elsewhere and we've had to say we can't talk to them unless they can prove they are free to negotiate."
According to the newspaper, former Toyota driver Ralf Schumacher was among those expressing interest in driving for McLaren but the German was reportedly informed he is not on the squad's shortlist.
