Dennis giving nothing away on driver line-up.

On a weekend when Lewis Hamilton is inching ever closer to clinching the GP2 Series title in this season's finale at Monza, McLaren-Mercedes boss Ron Dennis is choosing to remain coy as to the youngsters role within the team for 2007.

With Kimi Raikkonen expected to be announced as a Ferrari driver on Sunday, a seat alongside Fernando Alonso is set to become officially vacant and with only three drivers already confirmed as being in the frame for the coveted spot, rumours over the Finn's replacement have been rife.

Indeed, Hamilton is up against Pedro de la Rosa, currently doing good service as the replacement for the departed Juan Pablo Montoya, and fellow Brit Gary Paffett, although his hopes of an outing this season seem unlikely now.

A lack of F1 experience however could well work against Hamilton in his hopes for a top-level drive with the team in 2007, even if Dennis admits that having Alonso is one car gives them some leeway to take something of a risk for next season, pointing to a possible break of tradition for McLaren in employing a rookie.

Nonetheless, Dennis is continuing to keep his cards close to his chest, insisting that he is in no rush to decide who will partner the Spaniard, even suggesting that Raikkonen remains an option up until his imminent announcement.

"We are clearly aware of where we are as regards our driver line up and we are very fortunate that we have Fernando driving for us next year, which gives us the option of choice as it were," Dennis said. "We have the option of a dominant and competitive driver and we are no illusion about how things will unfold with Kimi so clearly he is an option, but just that, an option.

"I along with Norbert Haug and Martin Whitmarsh have avoided all dialogue about what role he will play in our future until after this weekend because he has got a job to do and that is to win the GP2 championship and that is his job now and when that is finished one way or the other then we will look to his future and what part McLaren Mercedes will play in it. But certainly there is no decision taken."