Loeb without F1 and without regrets

Sébastien Loeb, five-time world rally champion, has the quality that many great athletes have: knowing how to overcome tough times and turn the page quickly. But, according to the Frenchman, the fact of not participating in the Grand Prix of F1 of Abu Dhabi is not to be placed in the category of hard blows.

« I take things as they come, confides Sébastien Loeb on his official website. Either way, there are no regrets because there was no ambition. The only regret I have is that it would have been fun to do it. It was a fun project. » Unfortunately, this cool project was only possible after obtaining the super license to compete in an F1 Grand Prix, a super license that the Frenchman was unable to obtain. “ The regulations are very precise to get it. I did not meet any of the conditions stipulated in these regulations. Failure to obtain this license is then quite logical. That?s how it is, that?s the regulations, that?s the decision of the FIA. There is no need to cry scandal. »

However, the Frenchman had seriously prepared, notably by doing tests behind the wheel of a GP2. “ I tried to work on my endurance and my neck. All this without knowing if it was going to happen or not. I wanted to seriously prepare myself just in case? And then I told myself that whatever my decision, this preparation would serve me anyway for the circuit, especially with the 908. Despite all my efforts, I could not pretend to be ready. F1 is so specific! Physically, it is much harder than rally and I know I would have had a hard time. In terms of cardio, you should know that the heart beats at more than 180 beats per minute while driving an F1! My physical abilities, among other things, made me doubt my ability to meet this challenge. »

Lined up at the start of the Rally of Great Britain this weekend, Sébastien Loeb will try to obtain a sixth world crown. The Frenchman will compete in this last round of the WRC 2009 knowing that he will not migrate to F1 next weekend. “ Citroën had insisted to Red Bull to have the definitive answer before Monday evening in order to have peace of mind with this Grand Prix story. Initially, it was supposed to be announced on Sunday evening, but with this super license problem, it dragged on until [Tuesday]. »

If he does not express regrets, the Alsatian knows full well that he will now have little chance of competing in a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Opportunities like that, I told myself I would only have one in my life. That?s why I accepted. There she passed. I didn't have the super license this time, I don't see how I could acquire it without preparing myself and doing the necessary tests in F1. Especially since the two championships were played there. Button won his world title last weekend, and the WRC title is up for grabs this weekend. As a result, my participation would not have hampered either of the two championships. Finding an opportunity like this seems very unlikely to me. All that put together, I don't think this chance will ever come again. »

Even if he had been able to line up at the start of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Sébastien Loeb knows that he would not have been able to be competitive. “ You shouldn't have expected me to produce a result. It was clearly impossible. Don't think I'm saying this out of false modesty. I know what I'm missing when I race on a circuit: on average, one second per lap. I imagine that in F1, there would have been a little more. I know that the fact that a World Rally Champion can take part in a GP makes noise. I also know that everything would have been analyzed, when in fact there is not much to analyze. It was just a privilege that Red Bull offered me, that's all. »