Kimi Räikkönen halts his season for a back surgery
The Finn abruptly ends his collaboration with Lotus, missing the last two races of the season. The identity of his replacement is not yet known.
It had been in the air since the Indian Grand Prix and the squabble with Alan Permane. The unpaid salary by Lotus was also starting to weigh on Räikkönen’s mind. According to the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat, it is now a reality. Kimi Räikkönen has decided to end his season to undergo back surgery in Salzburg, Austria. The Finn has been suffering since an off-track incident during testing at Magny-Cours in 2001, when he was driving for Sauber.
An information confirmed by his manager, Steve Robertson, in the columns of Turun Sanomat. « It’s obviously disappointing to end the relationship with Lotus in this way after two successful seasons. However, Kimi cannot afford to wait any longer. It is essential to resolve this issue definitively so that he begins the 2014 season in the best conditions. »
His premature departure is allowed because Lotus still hasn’t paid his salary. Some elements suggest that he was already focused on 2014. The Finn went to Maranello on Thursday to take measurements for his new car and meet with Stefano Domenicali.
The replacement for the 2007 world champion is expected to be Davide Valsecchi, 2012 GP2 champion and current reserve driver for the Enstone team who is still waiting for a seat. Unless Nico Hülkenberg signs early with the Lotus team, even though the agreement with Quantum is still not finalized…
