With speculation linking him with both Red Bull and Ferrari for next season Lotus team boss Eric Boullier is certain Kimi Raikkonen will stay with Lotus.
The 2007 Formula One World Champion called in sick on Thursday to avoid any possible chance of speaking to the media regarding the speculation surrounding him and a potential move to Red Bull.
His manager had previously held talks with Red Bull Racing regarding the Finn moving to the team for next season to replace Mark Webber who has announced his retirement from the sport.
But those talks have since broken down, while Kimi’s past history with Ferrari could suggest that bridges have been burnt preventing a return to the team that provided him with his one and only World title.
Meanwhile Lotus have been working hard in a bid to secure the finances to enable them to continue to battle at the front end of the grid and its assurances like that which could mean they hold on to their number one driver and team leader.
‘He loves the team, he likes to be here, he likes the environment we have created for him. Boullier told Sky Sports.
‘Kimi is clearly an exceptional racer – his race pace is amazing and he can deliver from whatever position he is on the grid and work his way forward. So this is mainly due to him, but also the strong ability of the car.’
So will he stay at Lotus or will he move on to either Red Bull or Ferrari?
Is Boullier wholly confident that Raikkonen will stay at Lotus? ‘Yes I am,’ he concluded.
The Vital F1 users appear to also agree with Boullier.
Over the past few days we’ve been running a front page poll asking the question: Where will Raikkonen be in 2014?
The VitalF1 readers backed Lotus to keep hold of Kimi with 39% of the vote, slightly ahead of Red Bull with 34% and Ferrari with 27%.
Raikkonen to stay with Lotus?
