Not only he'll turn 36 next year – an age when most Formula One drivers are already retired from the sport or testing for their former teams at best – but an opportunity like the one offered by Scuderia Toro Rosso this year is unlikely to arise, argued Loeb. The Frenchman was due to contest for the Faenza based team at the Abu Dhabi finale, replacing rookie driver Jaime Alguersuari.
With the WRC season due to end this very weekend, Loeb would have been free to do whatever he liked afterwards. Citroen also gave him permission to race in F1, while also allowing him to test for GP2 outfit David Price Racing earlier this month.
“Finding an opportunity like that again seems very unlikely,” said Loeb, who revealed for the first time this year that he had indeed accepted the Red Bull offer to drive the STR4 at Abu Dhabi.
“The regulations for getting it are very precise. I do not meet any of the conditions stipulated in the regulations. So it's logical that I failed to obtain such a license. It's the rule, the decision of the FIA. There's no crying foul,” added the Frenchman.
Loeb proved many times in the past that he can quickly adapt to different racing programmes, as he has a vast experience in Le Mans sport cars and has previously even tested in an F1 machinery. However, with FIA saying no to his super license application, the Citroen driver is now to think solely at protecting his WRC crown during the upcoming Rally GB.
In order to do that, Loeb needs to finish ahead of Ford rival Mikko Hirvonen in Great Britain, as he currently trails the Finn by a single point.
Google News