ERIC BOULLIER, the McLaren racing director, is to sit down with CEO Ron Dennis this week for a final round of talks in a bid to resolve the team's driver line-up for 2015.
Discussions have been ongoing between the duo for some time as they mull over who should partner the returning Fernando Alonso, who is due to be confirmed by McLaren by the end of next week.
After negotiating his severance payment with Ferrari - Alonso had two years remaining on his agreement with the team - the Spaniard is to join McLaren on a two-year deal, with the option of a third.
As to his team-mate, paddock sources have suggested Boullier and Dennis have a difference of opinion, with the Frenchman favouring Jenson Button, whilst the latter prefers Kevin Magnussen. With Dennis promising in early September to deliver an answer by the end of the campaign in Abu Dhabi, the clock is ticking, although he ultimately has the final call.
If Dennis needed any convincing Button's experience was the way to go then his performance over the weekend in Brazil will have helped. In qualifying fifth and finishing fourth at Interlagos, the 34-year-old has now scored nearly double the number of Magnussen's points this season - 106 to 55.
Boullier refused to be drawn on whether anything could be read into the result, other than to state it was "a great weekend for the team".
"Prior to Sochi [the Russian Grand Prix] we were a little bit down," he said. "But in two of the last three races now we have clearly shown we are capable of putting cars in the top five - Austin [the United States Grand Prix] was a little more difficult. But the performance levels are rising, we're closing the gap, and for me it is important to seize this momentum at the end of the season.
"It means everything we have done through the season is now starting to pay off, and we are building for the future, so it's good. But this weekend specifically, and this race specifically, Jenson did really great."
Button, meanwhile, has dismissed suggestions he is chasing one final big pay-day, with the feeling of being wanted far more important than money as far as his future is concerned. As far as Button is concerned, whoever employs him next it will be because they have made it clear they want him on board, with money "not the issue in any way, shape or form".
In a clear hint to Dennis and McLaren, Button added: "Whether I'm racing here or somewhere else, I will do it because I love it. Naturally I still want to earn money because I feel I have achieved and I feel I should get paid for what I do in an F1 car, and for what I bring to a team.
"But I'm not a driver that takes the p***, and I will race somewhere even I'm if not getting the big bucks like a few drivers who are out there."
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article