Pastor Maldonado has been offered no guarantees about his future in Formula One as he waits on news about Renault's takeover of Lotus.
Lotus' financial struggles have been more and more visible at recent races, with bailiffs briefly seizing some of the team's equipment at the Belgian Grand Prix before the it was locked out of its hospitality unit at the Japanese Grand Prix due to payment issues.
Last week Renault signed a letter of intent to take over the team, but when asked if he knew whether the team would be racing next year, Maldonado said: "Who knows? I hope so..."
Maldonado admits the Renault takeover has not been as smooth as he had hoped.
"Negotiations are still going on. It was looking like something more simple at the beginning of the season, now it's getting long. Maybe it's something that should happen soon, who knows? In these kind of negotiations there are always ups and downs, you never know, you are never sure. I just wish the best for the team and we are fully ready to work in any conditions."
Maldonado has a contract to race at Lotus next season, but current team-mate Romain Grosjean has opted to leave for Haas.
"I think he spent lots of years with this team and he's looking for something new," Maldonado said. "I was in his situation a few years ago [at Williams] so I wish him the best."
Maldonado believes it will be crucial to get a team-mate who will bring a good atmosphere to the team.
"Yeah I hope to have a good team-mate who permits the team to work together as the team philosophy. If Renault is coming we will start not from zero but nearly there, so we will need a good atmosphere and good drivers which will be very competitive and pushing the team very hard to reach a good level immediately."