Lotus Renault driver Romain Grosjean has admitted that his team's chances of competing in the constructors' championship depend on the money that is made available.

Grosjean's teammate Kimi Raikkonen won the opening grand prix in Australia but Lotus finished sixth and seventh in Malaysia, with the Frenchman unsure whether they can compete for the full season.

"It depends on the money that we have; that is the key in Formula 1," Autosport quotes Grosjean as saying.

"We know we have good people, we know they are able to do a race winning car, we know that on development and on factory tools we are there. Then then again everything is a question of what you can put into it.

"Hopefully we get more sponsors, so more development and then more wins and then more sponsors. It's a cycle."

Lotus are currently second, 26 points behind leaders Red Bull.