Kimi Raikkonen threatens to boycott rest of F1 season

Finnish Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen threatened Friday to boycott the last two races of the season because his team, Lotus, reportedly hasn't paid him $20 million he's owed.

Raikkonen took fourth place Friday during a practice round in Abu Dhabi, but took time after the run to vent his frustrations with his team.

"I came here only because hopefully we found an understanding on the certain issues we have been having," he said. "Hopefully it will be fixed and we can finish the season as well as we can."

Lotus reportedly owes Raikkonen $20 million, but according to an arrangement between the driver, Lotus and the team's majority owners, Genii Capital, he won't get his pay until the season is over and sponsorship deals are tied up in order to cover fees.

This isn't the first time things have gotten heated between Raikkonen and Lotus this season over pay. He and pit boss Alan Permane got into a heated confrontation Sunday at the Indian Grand Prix.

Team chairman Gerard Lopez tried to ease the tension, publicly praising Raikkonen for his success this season on the team's website.

"The only reason we're fighting for second in the world championship is because of all the points that Kimi has scored," Lopez said. "Of course, recently a lot was made about the comments between Alan Permane and Kimi during the course of a tense moment in a race, but this was just one exchange taking a matter of seconds in the course of a two-year relationship."

Mark Webber qualified Saturday for the pole position for Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Raikkonen is slotted to start in fifth.