Lotus chiefs are set to meet Kimi Raikkonen’s management team this week as they try to convince the Finn to remain with team for 2014 season.
Rumours have suggested Raikkonen could leave Lotus and take up the seat at Red Bull which Mark Webber is leaving when he joins the new Porsche championship from next season.
But it appears as if Lotus are looking to act quickly and will increase their efforts to keep Raikkonen.
The team’s solid performance in the German Grand Prix was a timely way of showing they can fight Red Bull for wins as Raikkonen went close to edging Sebastian Vettel for the victory.
Lotus owner Gerard Lopez admits Raikkonen may not sign a new deal but he thinks the Enstone-based team can offer him a package that would suit him.
He was quoted by Autosport: “It is up to us to prove that he can get the package that he wants as a driver, and I think he will stay. There is a certain culture about this team that does things right. And it is the same culture that Kimi likes.
“If we had huge time constraints on him, I don’t think he would enjoy it. He hasn’t enjoyed other teams before. He knows he has been treated well here, as we would treat every other driver.
“This team has a culture that is quite human. Somebody told me that for Kimi the human being, this is the best team. And for the racer, he has to decide.”
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