Decision time for Kimi

Kimi Raikkonen will decide his immediate future over the next three weeks according to Lotus boss Eric Boullier.

Following the announcement that Mark Webber is set to retire from Formula One, a seat with three times Formula One constructors World Champions Red Bull has become available.

2007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Raikkonen has been the hot favourite to take the seat alongside Triple F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel, whilst Toro Rosso’s Daniel Ricciardo also remains in contention [Jean-Eric Vergne has been ruled out].

The Finn is out-of-contract with Lotus at the end of the 2013 FIA Formula One World Championship and can take his pick of teams up and down the paddock after impressing since his return to the sport following a break in rally cars.

Lotus team principal Eric Boullier has revealed that Kimi has been holding talks with Lotus regarding how they see their development continuing over the next few years and he believes that Raikkonen will have decided his future over the next few weeks.

‘Two years in a row we have closed the gap with Red Bull. He wants to know if we will keep going like that.

‘We are in discussions about the technical package we’ll have.’ he told the BBC.

‘He is mature enough to decide for himself what is the right thing to do, There are some upsides to going to Red Bull and some downsides as well.’

When pushed on when Boullier expected a decision he said: ‘before August’.

Meanwhile Bouillier also confirmed that Raikkonen has now been paid, reports had suggested that Kimi had gone the past seven months without pay, but Lotus are now up-to-date with his wages.