Lotus boss Boullier admits Kimi Raikkonen's future out of his hands

Lotus boss Eric Boullier admits that Kimi Raikkonen's immediate future with the team in Formula 1 is now pretty much out of his hands

Raikkonen has threatened to skip the final two races of the F1 season if a financial dispute with the outfit is not resolved, having come close to not racing at this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Raikkonen was persuaded to compete at Yas Marina after reaching an understanding with team owner Gerard Lopez, and Boullier says is it now up to Lopez to sort out the situation once and for all.

When asked by AUTOSPORT if he was confident a deal could be reached with Raikkonen to ensure he races in America and Brazil, Boullier said: "Part of it I cannot answer you.

"There is discussion between Gerard and Kimi and it obviously involves our shareholders and parent companies."

Analysis: Raikkonen's emotions surface

Although the Raikkonen situation has come just as Lotus is knuckling down for a tough fight for second in the constructors' championship, Boullier said he was hopeful the matter would not affect things on track.

"We have an exceptional group of people in Enstone and they produce a car, with the last aero package based on the long wheelbase, that is delivering," he said.

"We just do our best to be delivering on track. There is obviously some issues which we know already for a long time and we are waiting, as Gerard said, for the new investment company to close the deal with.

"And if that does not happen we will have to think about other scenarios."

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