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Pic out of the picture at Caterham F1 team

Caterham Formula One driver Charles Pic of France drives during the qualifying session of the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit in Mogyorod, near Budapest July 27, 2013. REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh

(Reuters) - French driver Charles Pic will not be racing for Caterham this season, the Formula One team's principal Cyril Abiteboul said on Monday.

"Charles, unfortunately, will not be with us next season," he told France's Infosport+ television. "It's a pity the adventure between Caterham and Charles is ending."

Caterham, the only team yet to name their drivers for the season starting in Australia in March, are expected to announce the line-up on Tuesday.

Japan's Kamui Kobayashi, who left Sauber at the end of 2012 after finishing third in his home grand prix at Suzuka, has been tipped to join the team owned by AirAsia airline boss Tony Fernandes.

Pic, 23, made his F1 debut with Marussia in 2012 before moving to Caterham last year. The team ended up last overall, behind Marussia, with no points.

His departure will leave France with three drivers - Romain Grosjean at Lotus, Jean-Eric Vergne at Toro Rosso and Jules Bianchi at Marussia.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Tony Jimenez)