Enstone-based Lotus are on the brink of naming Romain Grosjean and Nico Hulkenberg as their driver pairing for next season.

Grosjean produced another sterling drive in the Japanese Grand Prix to finish third behind a Red Bull one-two as Sebastian Vettel led home Mark Webber for his fifth consecutive victory.

The Frenchman is proving he is ready to lead the team with Kimi Raikkonen heading to Ferrari, having out-qualified the Finn at five of the last six races.

Now Lotus are ready to take up an option on his contract.

“He did a great job,” said Lotus team principal Eric Boullier.

“We wanted him to establish himself as a driver like he is now, and on top of that, since Kimi announced he was leaving, it has been up to him to step up, and he has done that.

“Romain has a contract with us for next year. He has an option to be taken up, and we have to do that in a few days, so we will see.”

Hulkenberg was sixth at Suzuka to follow on from his fourth in Korea a week earlier.

And Boullier added: “Since he has been talking to us he has been doing a good job. “He is our choice.”