Lopez believes Raikkonen's return to Ferrari is all about the money

Lotus team owner Gerard Lopez believes that Kimi Raikkonen's decision to return to Ferrari was all about money, which took him by surprise.

"I thought Kimi did not return to Formula 1 for the money, but it is clear that the opposite is actually true," Lopez told Auto Hebdo.

"From now on, it's no longer our problem. In the end, we are not able to compete with teams that are willing to do anything to get a contract with a driver."

Indeed, Kimi Raikkonen revealed in Singapore that he is only leaving the team because he has not yet been paid.

"He had it all," said Lopez. "A competitive car, the support of the team, unparalleled comfort.

"Like last year, not everything was paid on time, but he did receive all of his money in the end [in 2012]. We do not have a budget like some of the other teams, so we have to have prioritise." (GMM)

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