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Kimi quits: End of line with Lotus

PARIS, France - Finland's 2007 Formula 1 champion Kimi Raikkonen has driven his last race for Lotus, so will miss the final two races of the 2013 season.

The 34-year-old, who will drive for Ferrari in 2013,  is to undergo back surgery.

The announcement has brought to an end what has been a fractious relationship with Lotus, the team which offered him a second chance in F1 in 2012.

FIRST CORNER

Things came to a head the previous weekend at the Abu Dhabi GP when a fed-up Raikkonen, third in the overall standings, arrived saying he had not been paid all year and unless that was put right he would boycott the last two races of the campaign.

His race lasted only until the first corner - he had been demoted to the back of the grid owing to a technical infringement in qualifying - but he left saying that the problem over his wages had been resolved.

The team will make an announcement about the replacement driver for the US and Brazilian Grands Prix in due course.
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