With no 2010 contract in place, Jenson Button has been given a guided tour of McLaren's headquarters in Woking, as the former champion constructor step up their efforts to wrest the 2009 champion away from the Brawn GP team.
Despite the lack of a contract between Brawn and Button for next season, it was widely thought that the two would sort something out for 2010, but now it seems that McLaren are moving themselves into a position of favourite for the Brit's signature.
Button and his manager Richard Goddard visited McLaren HQ today, where they were given what was presumably a long and fairly boring tour by team principal Martin Whitmarsh.
It has been reported that a deal could be struck between the two by next week, a move which would put Button alongside his fellow Brit and former world champion Lewis Hamilton in 2010, in a partnership many are already calling "Team Allen".
"As I've said many times before, Jenson wants to drive a car which is capable of winning the next world championship," Goddard blubbered to the press.
"We've been talking about possible terms for 2010 with Brawn for months and we're not being difficult or unreasonably expensive in our demands for Jenson. In fact we've given up quite a lot of negotiating ground in our discussions with them."
Button is apparently now McLaren's first choice for the seat alongside Hamilton next season, with Heikki Kovalainen expected to move on after two disappointing years with the team. 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen is apparently installed as a back-up, and Nick Heidfeld is also in the frame should they fail to net either of their first two targets.
Recently, Ross Brawn has indicated that he would not necessarily bow to Button's salary demands for 2010, rumoured to be in the region of £6m to £8m for the season, but he may need to rethink that frugal policy if he wants to hold on to the driver who won six of the first seven races of the 2009 season in a Brawn GP car.
Goddard also said that: "I think it's also important that Jenson wants to feel valued in whatever situation he finds himself next season. He needs to explore all the feasible options."
McLaren tried to downplay the significance of the visit from the champion, with a spokesman for the team shrugging their shoulders and saying: "Having just arrived at Heathrow, Jenson made a small detour to Woking to say hello."
Raikkonen also visited McLaren's Woking base on Wednesday along with his own managers, as the Finn attempted to put his mumbled case forwards as to why McLaren should sign him rather than Button for next year.
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