Latest F1 news in brief

Boullier not sure Kubica has Lotus future
Raikkonen hurts wrist in snowmobile racing crash
Horner talks peace ahead of Monday FOTA meeting

Boullier not sure Kubica has Lotus future
(GMM) Team boss Eric Boullier shrugged his shoulders and answered "I don't know" when asked if Robert Kubica has a future with Lotus.

The team, together with the Polish driver last year when known as Renault, have been waiting throughout 2011 for Kubica to recover from serious injuries sustained in a pre-season rally crash.

But there have been rumors of ructions between the team and the driver's management camps — the latest quarrel being the wording of a statement announcing that Kubica is not ready to immediately return in 2012.

The BBC quotes Boullier as describing the status of the relationship as at "point zero".

In the meantime, Lotus has signed new GP2 champion Romain Grosjean to be 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen's full-time teammate next season.

"We have been waiting for Robert to understand his plans," said Boullier. "If we can help him get in back in F1 we will, but we have signed our drivers for next year and we want to stick with them."

The Frenchman also indicated that Lotus will only release test cars and make available the team's simulator for Kubica if the 27-year-old – who has been linked with Red Bull and Ferrari – commits for the "long term".

Another former Renault/Lotus driver with an uncertain future after the Grosjean signing is Bruno Senna. One possibility for him is a return to his early 2011 role as reserve driver.

Asked about his plans for 2012, the Brazilian told the Norfolk Advertiser: "I don't know yet — I'm still working on next season, but I think it's looking much better than last season at this same time and let's hope we can have good news."

Raikkonen hurts wrist in snowmobile racing crash
(GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has hurt his wrist during a snowmobile racing crash in Austria.

After a two-year hiatus, the 2007 world champion is returning to formula one next year with Lotus, the former Renault team whose original regular driver Robert Kubica was seriously hurt in a pre-season rallying crash in February.

Austria's sport10.at reports that, during the race at Saalbach-Hinterglemm, 32-year-old Finn Raikkonen fell in a corner and was treated by paramedics.

"Our doctor examined Kimi's left hand," an event spokesman said. "He is wearing a small bandage."

Raikkonen, whose snowmobile competitors included Force India reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg, took no part in any further races.

"We just spoke to Kimi," Raikkonen's F1 employer Lotus said on Twitter. "There's nothing to worry about, he only has a sore wrist. He might have it checked again on Monday, but that's all."

Horner talks peace ahead of Monday FOTA meeting
(GMM) Red Bull has not ruled out patching up its off-track quarrel with rival formula one teams.

The reigning and back-to-back world champions have pulled out of the F1 teams' alliance FOTA, essentially over the debate about the gentleman's cost-limiting 'resource restriction agreement'.

Subsequent meetings have taken place in the absence of Red Bull and fellow new non-FOTA members Ferrari, Ferrari-powered Sauber and Red Bull junior team Toro Rosso, indicating a worrying political split ahead of the crucial negotiations for the next Concorde Agreement.

But team boss Christian Horner has revealed that Red Bull officials will meet with key FOTA members on Monday.

"Nothing's ever set in stone but for the time being we feel it's right to step out of FOTA," he is quoted by the Associated Press.

It has been rumored that Red Bull baulked at moves to further limit the scope of aerodynamic development, whilst rival carmaker-linked teams remain less limited on engines.

"There has to be a willingness to recognize this and then progress can be made," Horner, speaking at Red Bull's title celebratory event in Milton-Keynes, is quoted by the Guardian.

He said Ferrari and Red Bull's withdrawal from FOTA "has stimulated discussion and that can lead to something positive. There is a way back for all of us".