Lotus owner Lopez criticises Raikkonen over salary dispute
Gerard Lopez has publicly rebuked Kimi Raikkonen after the Finn claimed unpaid wages were behind his decision to leave Lotus for Ferrari in 2014.
Lotus team owner Gerard Lopez has hit back at Kimi Raikkonen following the Finn’s claim that unpaid salary is the reason for his move to Ferrari for the 2014 Formula One season. Raikkonen’s blunt remarks to the press, stating he had not received his wages, brought the team’s financial situation into the spotlight just days after his Ferrari return was announced.
Lopez, speaking to German newspaper Welt, insisted the team would honour its contract and pay Raikkonen as agreed at the end of the season. He expressed confusion at the timing and content of Raikkonen’s statements, suggesting the driver was not telling the full story. Lopez pointed out that Lotus had given Raikkonen a competitive car on his return to F1 and questioned whether finances alone were behind his decision to leave.
The salary dispute has highlighted ongoing financial strain at Lotus. Reports from Bild and Blick indicated that some mechanics and other team staff were also waiting for overdue pay. Team principal Eric Boullier defended the team’s priorities, saying available cash was first used to pay staff and suppliers before drivers. Boullier admitted Lotus does not have the resources of the biggest teams on the grid, but denied the team was on the brink of collapse.
Raikkonen’s future and Lotus driver options
Raikkonen, who returned to Formula One with Lotus in 2012 after two years away, will rejoin Ferrari next year. His departure comes as the team faces the loss of other key personnel, with reports that around twenty Lotus employees have applied for jobs at rival teams including Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren.
Attention now turns to Raikkonen’s replacement. Boullier confirmed that Felipe Massa and Nico Hulkenberg are the main candidates for the seat, and did not rule out the possibility of signing both if Romain Grosjean’s future is not secure. The team has dismissed suggestions it will sign a pay driver simply to boost finances.
Impact on Lotus staff and team outlook
The public dispute has unsettled the Enstone-based team at a time when it is already under pressure. While Lopez has stated that the team’s future is secure as long as he remains committed, the combination of delayed payments and staff departures raises questions about Lotus’s ability to remain competitive. Boullier’s comments suggest the team is working to stabilise its finances without sacrificing performance or resorting to less competitive driver choices.
Raikkonen’s situation is not unique in Formula One, where financial realities often clash with sporting ambitions. For Lotus, the challenge now is to settle its obligations, retain key staff and secure a strong driver line-up for 2014.
