Lotus team owner Gerard Lopez has said that the outfit will be able to keep hold of Kimi Raikkonen for the 2014 Formula 1 season if he is given a strong car.
The 2007 world champion, who returned to F1 from a two-year break in 2012, will reach the end of his contract with Lotus after the 2013 season finishes, and has already been linked with a move to Red Bull.
Lopez told Autosport: "Kimi is a fantastic guy, the thing about Kimi is that he is very thankful we brought him back to where he is. and we are very thankful that he has brought the team to where it is now. So it fits nicely.
"To be honest with you, I am convinced, and I don't say this lightly, that if Kimi gets what he wants from us in terms of performance and so on, we will see Kimi moving forward with us.
"He knows that; and he says that. He is not going to get what he gets with us here anywhere else. It doesn't matter if the team has a blue car, a red car or a silver car, but this is also racing. So we have to make sure that he has a good competitive car. He has got one. As long as we can give that he will be with us."
The Finn has won two Grand Prix with Lotus.
Sian Cowper
