Enlarge imageBy Alan Baldwin
SUZUKA, Japan (Reuters) - Fernando Alonso's move to Ferrari, possibly to be confirmed within hours rather than days, will give the Formula One driver merry-go-round the big push that everyone has been waiting for.
The deal has been considered a given for months now, with Finland's 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen set to make way next year at the Italian team, who now have Spanish bank Santander as major backers.
Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali cranked up the speculation when he said after last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix that the team did not want to wait much longer before announcing their 2010 line-up.
Renault managing director Jean-Francois Caubet had already hinted strongly that his team's double world champion was on the way out, saying on Sunday that "Fernando will miss Renault and Renault will miss Fernando."
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The Guardian newspaper then quoted a close friend of the Spaniard saying everything appeared to be sorted: "He (Alonso) looked like a guy who'd pulled off the deal of his life," he said of the Spaniard's demeanour in Singapore.
Media reports have suggested that the announcement could be as early as Thursday, when teams gather at the Suzuka circuit for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.
Spain's Marca newspaper said Alonso had agreed a three-year contract paying around 20 million euros ($29.14 million) a year, some seven million less than Raikkonen was said to be getting.
Raikkonen has a contract with Ferrari for next year, as does recovering Brazilian Felipe Massa, but is now seen likely to return to his previous team McLaren as Lewis Hamilton's team mate in a line-up of champions.
That will force fellow-Finn Heikki Kovalainen to look elsewhere.
BARRICHELLO MOVE?
Of the top teams, only Red Bull have their line-up confirmed with Australian Mark Webber again partnering German Sebastian Vettel.
Elsewhere, after a year that has already seen two drivers replaced and a third ruled out by injury, there is only uncertainty.
BMW-Sauber's Polish driver Robert Kubica is seen as the frontrunner to replace Alonso at Renault after confirming last week that the team was one of his options.
Other widely predicted moves are for Germany's Nico Rosberg to switch from Williams to Brawn, with Mercedes likely to increase their involvement in that team.
Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, currently fighting for the title with British team mate Jenson Button, could go in the opposite direction to partner Germany's GP2 champion Nico Hulkenberg.
The autosport.com website on Wednesday quoted sources saying 37-year-old Barrichello had recently visited the Williams factory to discuss plans for next year.
Toyota have told Timo Glock he is free to look around, although he could also stay, while also suggesting weeks ago that Italian Jarno Trulli will not be retained.
That could provide an opening for Kovalainen and Japan's Kazuki Nakajima, a Toyota protege who has yet to score a point this year at Williams.
Four new teams, and possibly five if BMW-Sauber are given the green light under new ownership, are also looking for drivers.
McLaren's Spanish test driver Pedro de la Rosa looks likely to be in the Campos GP cockpit while Brazilian Bruno Senna, nephew of the late triple champion Ayrton, is confident he will find a race seat.
(Editing by John O'Brien)
