Deighton has already held talks with potential 2012 partners
London 2012 have announced there will be six major commercial partners for the Olympics - each paying up to £100m.
The first invitations to tender will go out next month and the announcement of which companies have been successful is expected before March.

London 2012 chief executive Paul said it was a "unique opportunity" for major companies to become involved.

There are six 'partner' categories: banking, insurance, utilities, oil and gas, car and telecommunications.

Deighton has already held preliminary talks with numerous companies hoping to become 2012 partners.

Deighton added: "It's understandable that corporate interest is strong."

"But a company can only have an association with the London Games as an official partner of the organising committee."

Companies in the banking and insurance categories will be the first to have the opportunity to tender.

The tenders for the remaining categories will go out in the next few months.

It is thought oil giant BP is among those interested, as are British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

London 2012 have to raise around £2bn to stage the Games.

Around a third of this will come from TV rights. The rest must come from the National Lottery, ticket sales and sponsorship.

Mrs Hammond has been at her husband's bedside since the crash.
The wife of injured Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond says she has been overwhelmed by the public support since her husband's high-speed car crash.
Amanda "Mindy" Hammond said she has had messages from around the world since his accident in a jet-powered car, during filming near York, on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old presenter's condition is said by doctors to be "stable".

"He's starting to look like Richard again. He's tough as hell and on his way back," Mrs Hammond told the Mirror.

Father-of-two Mr Hammond suffered a "significant brain injury" when he crashed. The accident is being investigated by the BBC, the police and the Health and Safety Executive.

Mrs Hammond told the Mirror: "He's spoken and smiled. It's early days and what has happened hasn't really sunk in for him.

"The whole family is overwhelmed by everyone's support. There have been so many flowers, cards and e-mails from around the world.

"To know that so many people love him is astounding. We want to thank everyone for their good wishes and prayers."

Jeremy Clarkson, one of Mr Hammond's co-presenters on the BBC show, told the Sun newspaper his colleague had got to his feet and walked "shakily" to the toilet during the early hours of Friday.

And fellow Top Gear presenter James May said on Friday he believed the injured presenter was "perfectly intact" after the pair had had a conversation at his hospital bedside.

"I'm not a doctor but I am his mate and I believe that deep inside the Hammond I know is perfectly intact," he said.


Vampire

Estimated top speed: 370mph

Acceleration: 0 to 272mph in 6 seconds

Engine: Rolls Royce Orpheus
Fuel economy: 7-10 gallons per mile

Weight: 2,200 lbs (998kg)

Length: 30 feet (9.14m)

Mr Hammond is out of intensive care at Leeds General Infirmary and said to be making "satisfactory progress"

Doctors have previously said they are "reasonably optimistic" he will make a good recovery.

The presenter had been driving a jet-powered dragster similar to the Vampire used by Colin Fallows to set the British land speed record of 300.3mph.

Mr Hammond had to be cut free after the car "veered off to the right" and its parachutes opened during a drive at Elvington airfield.

Primetime Land Speed Engineering, which supplied the car and a support team for the event, said the vehicle "had been prepared and was being operated to the highest of standards".

The BBC said in a statement that it had started an investigation into the accident and promised full co-operation with the HSE.

A BBC spokeswoman also confirmed the final part of the Best of Top Gear, which was due to be screened on 1 October, had been postponed indefinitely.

It would have been broadcast ahead of the new series of Top Gear but the corporation has said it is not in a position to confirm the transmission of the new series.

Hayden is chasing his first MotoGP title
US world championship leader Nicky Hayden grabbed pole for the Australian MotoGP with a blistering late lap in qualifying at Phillipm Island.
The Honda rider lapped the 4.4km circuit in one minute 29.02 seconds, the fastest time of the weekend.

Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano was 0.23 secs back in second, ahead of title holder Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) in 1.29.27.

Hayden's team-mate Dani Pedrosa, second in the title race, could only manage the 10th fastest time of the session.

Italians Marco Melandri and Loris Capirossi, the only other contenders, were seventh and 13th respectively.

Hayden leads the world title race from Pedrosa by 22 points with four races remaining.

Rossi, who is chasing a sixth victory on the Australian circuit, is third, 26 points behind the American.

Hayden, 25, was happy with his fourth MotoGP pole, but said: "I need to find some better grip and better race pace. We've got some work to do, no doubt."

Italy's Rossi, third and 26 points behind Hayden in the standings, admitted an error had cost him.

"It was possible to get pole but I made a mistake on the final corner and I lost some time.

"Sure, Nicky is in front but we are close and we have a good setting for Sunday."



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Australian MotoGP qualifying results:
1. Nicky Hayden (US) Honda 1:29.020
2. Shinya Nakano (Jap) Kawasaki 1:29.258
3. Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 1:29.271
4. Kenny Roberts Jr (US) KR211V 1:29.662
5. Colin Edwards (US) Yamaha 1:29.680
6. Carlos Checa (Spa) Yamaha 1:29.865
7. Marco Melandri (Ita) Honda 1:29.949
8. Casey Stoner (Aus) Honda 1:29.969
9. Randy de Puniet (Fra) Kawasaki 1:30.037
10. Dani Pedrosa (Spa) Honda 1:30.081

250cc qualifying:
1. Jorge Lorenzo (Sp) Aprilia 1:32.717
2. Alex de Angelis (SM) Aprilia 1:33.602
3. Sylvain Guintoli (Fr) Aprilia 1:33.732
4. Andrea Dovizioso (It) Honda 1:33.866
5. Marco Simoncelli (It) Gilera 1:33.941
6. Hiroshi Aoyama (Jpn) KTM 1:33.995
7. Hector Barbera (Sp) Aprilia 1:34.399
8. Yuki Takahashi (Jpn) Honda 1:34.486
9. Roberto Locatelli (It) Aprilia 1:34.650
10. Shuhei Aoyama (Jpn) Honda 1:35.158

125cc qualifying:
1. Mika Kallio (Fin) KTM 1:36.625
2. Alvaro Bautista (Spa) Aprilia 1:36.800
3. Lukas Pesek (Cze) Derbi 1:37.056
4. Thomas Luthi (Swi) Honda 1:37.084
5. Joan Olive (Spa) Aprilia 1:37.220
6. Mattia Passini (Ita) Aprilia 1:37.292
7. Raffaele de Rosa (Ita) Aprilia 1:37.294
8. Fabrizio Lai (Ita) Honda, 1:37.415
9. Julian Simon (Spa) KTM 1:37.533
10. Gabor Talmacsi (Hun) Honda 1:37.596

Peirsol has posted nine of the 11 fastest times in the event
American Aaron Peirsol beat his own 200m backstroke world record on the way to winning the event at the Pan Pacific Championships in British Columbia.
Peirsol beat compatriot Michael Phelps to set a time of one minute, 54.44 seconds - breaking his own record by more than two-tenths of a second.

Peirsol has not lost a 200m in international competition since the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

Meanwhile the US 4x100m freestyle relay team set a new world record of 3:12.46.

The quartet of Phelps, Cullen Jones, Neil Walker and Jason Lezak eclipsed South Africa's previous record of 3:13.17 set at the Athens Olympics in 2004.