Bernie Ecclestone has backed Kimi Raikkonen's threat to strike after the Finn revealed he has not been paid "a single euro" in 2013. Raikkonen only travelled to Abu Dhabi at the last minute, but he is now warning he will sit out Austin and Brazil if the team does not pay him a reported EUR 15 million.
"He has signed a contract with somebody and they need to pay him," F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone told the Mirror.
"I feel sorry for him but he should have been a little more sensible when he signed the contract and know what he was signing for.
"If he wants to stand down for a couple of races, that's up to him. He knows the consequences of that," he added.
1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve also said Raikkonen is right to have finally run out of patience.
"People are saying he should be doing it for the passion alone but he is a professional racing driver. It's his job," said the French Canadian.
"If I was him I definitely wouldn't be going to Austin or Sao Paulo if I wasn't paid."
Raikkonen's trying weekend deepened even further late on Saturday, despite recovering his loss of form of recent races by reverting to Lotus' original shorter-wheelbase car.
After qualifying in Abu Dhabi, the Finn's car failed a floor deflection test, and the stewards did not accept the explanation that it had been damaged on a kerb.
Raikkonen was relegated from fifth to the back of the grid.
Talking to Auto Motor und Sport, Lotus engineer Alan Permane accused the FIA of a double standard.
"This was absolutely comparable to Hungary," he said, referring to the situation involving Romain Grosjean earlier this season, which was not similarly punished.
"Kimi had no advantage for the rest of the lap, and in fact in the slow corners he was slightly disadvantaged," Permane insisted.
Ecclestone backs Raikkonen to stop driving for Lotus
- Published on 03 Nov 2013 12:18
-
0
- By: Danny Sosef
.
Trending news
-
Hadjar sees only positives for Red Bull ahead of MonacoIsack Hadjar believes Red Bull Racing has finally identified the performance window it needs to challenge for victori...
29 May 2026 17:38 -
Why Fittipaldi believes Russell has already given up on 2026George Russell has drawn sharp criticism from former Formula 1 driver Christian Fittipaldi after appearing to concede...
29 May 2026 16:36 -
Why McLaren insists Lambiase is not being groomed as Stella's successorMcLaren team principal Andrea Stella has dismissed speculation that Gianpiero Lambiase is being groomed to succeed hi...
29 May 2026 15:33 -
Why Steiner calls Wolff his 'rockstar' of the Canadian GPGuenther Steiner has singled out Toto Wolff for praise after the Mercedes team principal allowed Kimi Antonelli and G...
29 May 2026 14:31 -
Why Martin Brundle defended Russell's angry headrest throwMartin Brundle has defended George Russell following the Mercedes driver's angry reaction to his retirement at th...
29 May 2026 13:29
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
-
Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
-
-
-
Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
-
-
-
Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
-
-
-
Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
-
-
-
Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
-
-
-
Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
-
-
-
Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
-
-
Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
-
-
Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
-
-
World Championship standings 2026
Pos
Driver
Team
Points
Pos
Team
Points
Related news
Give your opinion!
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Driver profile
- Team -
- Points -
- Podiums -
- Grand Prix -
- Country FR
- Date of b. Apr 17 1986 (40)
- Place of b. Geneve, FR
- Weight 71 kg
- Length 1.8 m
3 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Romain Grosjean
Team profile
- Team name Lotus F1
- Base Enstone, United Kingdom
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 7
- Romain Grosjean 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Romain Grosjean 10
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Jolyon Palmer 30
- Esteban Ocon 31
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- 65,124 comments on Lotus F1
- 16 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Lotus F1
Replies (0)
Login to reply