Ferrari driver announcement after Monza race

LONDON, Sep 1 (Reuters) Ferrari will announce their 2007 driver line-up after the Italian Grand Prix on September. 10, the Formula One team confirmed today.

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen is widely expected to be joining from McLaren but the main suspense concerns the future of seven times world champion Michael Schumacher, who could announce his retirement.

The most successful driver in Formula One history is out of contract at the end of the season, although he has an open invitation to stay, and has been urged by his manager Willi Weber to go out at the top.

The German, who will be 38 in January, is 12 points adrift of Renault's world champion Fernando Alonso with four races remaining and Monza could be his European farewell.

''Ferrari will make an announcement on Sunday after the race,'' Schumacher's spokeswoman said.

Formula One insiders increasingly expect him to retire, particularly if he wins an unprecedented eighth title.

''The fact that Maranello will announce their 2007 lineup only after the end of the race leads one to believe that Sunday's race will be Schumacher's last Monza,'' said Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

REUTERS PDS PM1707