Seb Loeb to race in F1
Discussion
This article on Autosport has a quote from the World Rally Championship promoter saying that Loeb will be driving an F1 car in Abu Dhabi
I thought those rumours had died down a bit. Or have I spectacularly missed something?
Autosport said:
World Rally Championship promoter Simon Long wants to see more drivers crossing over from Formula 1 in the wake of the major impact Kimi Raikkonen made on last week's Rally Finland.
Long said both sports benefit from drivers switching discipline, pointing to the level of interest in Sebastien Loeb's Red Bull test last December and his potential F1 race debut with Toro Rosso at the end of this year.
"I think it's fantastic to see so much Formula 1 interest in the WRC," said Long. "We've got two motorsport series at the very top of the world, and drivers in both categories like to believe they're the world's best when get behind the wheel.
"To have Sebastien [Loeb] testing his mettle against the best in [Formula 1] in Abu Dhabi later this year and vice-versa in Finland [with Raikkonen] is a really good example of the box office draw of the two championships - and this battle for supremacy in terms of who is the world's greatest driver and what is the world's greatest test of man and machine.
"I like this jostling in the hierarchy for who's the best. There are a lot of synergies between the driver mentality in F1 and what we see here in WRC: aggression, real expertise and the belief from those drivers that they are world's best - long may that battle continue."
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77557Long said both sports benefit from drivers switching discipline, pointing to the level of interest in Sebastien Loeb's Red Bull test last December and his potential F1 race debut with Toro Rosso at the end of this year.
"I think it's fantastic to see so much Formula 1 interest in the WRC," said Long. "We've got two motorsport series at the very top of the world, and drivers in both categories like to believe they're the world's best when get behind the wheel.
"To have Sebastien [Loeb] testing his mettle against the best in [Formula 1] in Abu Dhabi later this year and vice-versa in Finland [with Raikkonen] is a really good example of the box office draw of the two championships - and this battle for supremacy in terms of who is the world's greatest driver and what is the world's greatest test of man and machine.
"I like this jostling in the hierarchy for who's the best. There are a lot of synergies between the driver mentality in F1 and what we see here in WRC: aggression, real expertise and the belief from those drivers that they are world's best - long may that battle continue."
I thought those rumours had died down a bit. Or have I spectacularly missed something?
Formula 1 drivers highly respect the rallye drivers, Loeb should do well in F1 although I don't know of any other drivers that came from the rallye sport, except the finns maybe hakkinen and raikonen probably had something to do with it at some point. Let's hope he is as good on slicks and tarmac as he is on gravel and narrow rallye tyres 
damonc said:
Formula 1 drivers highly respect the rallye drivers, Loeb should do well in F1 although I don't know of any other drivers that came from the rallye sport, except the finns maybe hakkinen and raikonen probably had something to do with it at some point. Let's hope he is as good on slicks and tarmac as he is on gravel and narrow rallye tyres
Loeb is better on tarmac than he is on gravel. I've no doubt he'll do well, the man is a bona fide driving god...damonc said:
Loeb should do well in F1 although I don't know of any other drivers that came from the rallye sport,
Going back to when life was in Black and White, Vic Elford, who was European Rally Champ, in a 911, ran in F1 and serious sports car races. Targa etc. Late 60's I think. I saw him race at Silverstone in F1, I was of course a babe in arms at the time. Ahem.
TVR Moneypit said:
I hugely admire those that are able to take a car to it's absolute limits on the track, but for me the stars of the special stage are the real deal.
And they don't get much more real than this chap;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIFUsqAbbrI @1:20 onwards
Shivers firmly placed on spine watching that one. Utterly incredible, you never see the likes of that in F1 ....And they don't get much more real than this chap;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIFUsqAbbrI @1:20 onwards
He may be a great driver, but there is a physcology to driving a super high downforce racing car where you have to 'switch' your brain off regarding cornering speeds - if you are used to a car that derives mechanical grip rather than aero its a huge transition - one of the reasons many karters now go straight into F Renault or F3 rather than going into Formula Ford.
It'll be interesting to see how he gets on. I raced with Matt Wilson a fair amount a few years back and Matt's quick on a circuit too, so he might be another one to 'cross back'.
It'll be interesting to see how he gets on. I raced with Matt Wilson a fair amount a few years back and Matt's quick on a circuit too, so he might be another one to 'cross back'.
DWP said:
damonc said:
Loeb should do well in F1 although I don't know of any other drivers that came from the rallye sport,
Going back to when life was in Black and White, Vic Elford, who was European Rally Champ, in a 911, ran in F1 and serious sports car races. Targa etc. Late 60's I think. I saw him race at Silverstone in F1, I was of course a babe in arms at the time. Ahem.Sorry, just a big V.E. fan...
TimCrighton said:
He may be a great driver, but there is a physcology to driving a super high downforce racing car where you have to 'switch' your brain off regarding cornering speeds - if you are used to a car that derives mechanical grip rather than aero its a huge transition
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