Lotus Renault technical director James Allison has admitted that the Formula 1 team have not been able to provide two equal configuration cars so far this season.

Allison said that because of this Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen has been provided with new upgrades before his French teammate Romain Grosjean.

"[Grosjean's] not had an easy weekend either here [in Malaysia] or [in Australia], because we haven't been able to provide two cars in exactly the same configuration on either occasions," Reuters quotes Allison as saying.

"In Melbourne on Friday he was running a step behind Kimi in terms of his aero package, and then he had the upgrade for Saturday morning but then Saturday was disturbed by the weather. Here, once again, we only have one set of [new] kit and we've chosen to run that with Kimi and Romain is disadvantaged for that.

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Lotus leaves Grosjean a step behind Raikkonen - After Kimi Raikkonen eased to victory in the 2013 Australian Formula One Grand Prix, and set the pace in Malaysia on Friday, the forgotten man of Lotus is Romain Grosjean.

The Frenchman suspected his problems in Melbourne were due simply to going the wrong way on set-up in limited practice running.

But "We're seeing the same phenomenon as in Melbourne and we just don't understand it," Germany's Auto Motor und Sport quoted Grosjean as saying on Friday.

Team technical boss James Allison has one explanation, 2007 world champion Raikkonen was one step ahead with the E21's development in Melbourne.

And the same is true this weekend.

"He's not had an easy weekend either here or there, because we haven't been able to provide two cars in exactly the same configuration on either occasions," said Allison at Sepang.

In Melbourne, Raikkonen had key aerodynamic upgrades that Grosjean did not enjoy, and the Finn is now enjoying the next wave of development from Lotus' Enstone HQ.

"Here, once again, we only have one set of kit and we've chosen to run that with Kimi and Romain is disadvantaged for that," said Allison.

"We will always try to get two sets available but (it's) not always possible. So he's had a difficult set of circumstances and he's also up against a team-mate who is really firing on all cylinders," he added.

Romain Grosjean has dropped a big hint about Lotus' 2013 plans, revealing the new Enstone-built single seater will be launched late this month.

Speaking to the French sports news program Stade 2, the Frenchman also revealed that he and continuing Lotus teammate Kimi Raikkonen will equally share the 12 days of preseason testing in February.

"The next few weeks for me will be intense training, with the presentation of the new car at the end of the month," said Grosjean.

"Then I will have six days of testing in February and then finally the beginning of the season in March," he added.

Grosjean, 26, also spoke about his tumultuous 2012 season, and his acknowledgement that he needs to maintain his new approach to Formula One.

"I do not think winning at all costs is the goal, because the dream is to become World Champion one day.

"Of course it is true that you have to win races to be champion, but I must be careful not to mistake the goal," he added.

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