PARIS (AP) Having threatened not to race in the last two Formula One races of the season because of a pay dispute, former world champion Kimi Raikkonen will now miss them anyway to undergo back surgery.
Lotus said in a brief statement Sunday that the surgery will rule Raikkonen out of next week's United States Grand Prix and the season-ending Brazilian GP at the end of this month.
"The team will make an announcement about the replacement driver in due course," Lotus said in the statement Sunday.
The 34-year-old Raikkonen has suffered with back pains in recent months and almost missed the Singapore GP in September when the problem flared up again.
Raikkonen's Lotus career is effectively over because he will drive for Ferrari next year.