Rumours Loeb to Make F1 Debut in Abu Dhabi?

Super Hans · 16 Jul 2009, 07:54 (Ref:2502601)

Autosport magazine are reporting that Loeb will make his F1 debut for Toro Rosso at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race of 2009. I can't find any official confirmation of this online, but I'm starting to get excited.

inpitlane · 16 Jul 2009, 08:04 (Ref:2502606)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Hans

Autosport magazine are reporting that Loeb will make his F1 debut for Toro Rosso at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race of 2009. I can't find any official confirmation of this online, but I'm starting to get excited.

The story was also on French TV news but I'd doubt they'd run him in a GP. Would be a great achievement though and it would get plenty of publicity.

JamesH · 16 Jul 2009, 09:09 (Ref:2502643)

It's in Motorsport News as well - front page. Brundle seems to think it's kosher.

jab · 16 Jul 2009, 09:58 (Ref:2502657)

What happens after Abu Dhabi, though? Just 1 race doesn't sound feasible...

Super Hans · 16 Jul 2009, 09:59 (Ref:2502659)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jab

What happens after Abu Dhabi, though? Just 1 race doesn't sound feasible...

I get the impression it's a one off outing. I hate to use the word novelty, but I doubt there'll be any long-term plan.

Taprobane · 16 Jul 2009, 10:02 (Ref:2502661)

Unless he shows very strongly. I don't think he'd say no if offered a season long deal, it's not like there is anything left for him to win in rallying.

**gomick** · 16 Jul 2009, 10:07 (Ref:2502664)

Shall be very interesting to see how he goes if its true...

Super Hans · 16 Jul 2009, 10:10 (Ref:2502667)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taprobane

Unless he shows very strongly. I don't think he'd say no if offered a season long deal, it's not like there is anything left for him to win in rallying.

Stranger things have happened, I guess.

Ricky Bobby · 16 Jul 2009, 10:40 (Ref:2502687)

He has tested a Red Bull car before hasn't he? Yes...No??? I'm not sure.
If he did, does anybody know how he went and what relative lap times did he do?

davyboy · 16 Jul 2009, 10:53 (Ref:2502693)

He's tested a Renault and a Red Bull twice as far as I know. At the Catalunya test last November he was using a 2008 RBR with slicks while some of the others were driving 2009 spec. cars, so a comparison is hard to make. He finished 8th fastest out of 17 runners, just under 2 seconds off Takuma Sato's best in the STR.

Marbot · 16 Jul 2009, 12:45 (Ref:2502741)

He could do well.Maybe if there was a little more sand and a bit less tarmac he'd be in with a shout of victory.

50-SIX · 16 Jul 2009, 13:24 (Ref:2502766)

It would be very interesting. The one thing I wonder about is, even if he is on the pace over a lap, how would he be handling the actual 'racing' involved. He could really show his inexperience come the first corner.

There is the age old debate of which takes more balls, rallying or racing? Most answer rallying with the obvious obsatcles right next to the track and not having the luxury of run-off areas (non-vertcal ones anyway!). My argument has always been that a rally driver always brakes for a corner under his own judgement that he will be able to make it through the corner. Racers on the other hand will, when trying to make a pass, go passed the point at which they usually brake knowing full well they might not come out the other side, just in order to make a pass. So there are arguments to both sides.

It will be very intesreting to see how Loeb will react to the wheel to wheel racing (not that we have had that much of that this year). Although, he will be in a TR which is a version of the RB, which can't get close enough in dirty air anyway so maybe the old passing thing will not be a problem. Actually, his defencive driving will be being tested if anything.

Down F0rce · 16 Jul 2009, 14:06 (Ref:2502790)

Remember that Loeb has a second overall place finish at the Le Mans 24 hours. He would have learned to deal with traffic in lapping the slower cars.

I think he is just a natural born driver, stick him in anything and he'll do well. I'd love to see him try a F1 career.

andy97 · 16 Jul 2009, 14:11 (Ref:2502791)

I wonder how he will cope given that there are testing restrictions. Would have been much easier (er, less difficult) in the past when he could have got loads of miles in first.

kartracer41 · 16 Jul 2009, 14:39 (Ref:2502801)

I read that he "impressed" in testing the Red Bull whenever that happened. Also that Citroen doesn't seem to be denying anything, just saying that he is welcome to drive in F1 after their season is over. I also think his contract with them is up at the finish of this season.

I would like to see it.

Super Hans · 16 Jul 2009, 15:03 (Ref:2502813)

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy97

I wonder how he will cope given that there are testing restrictions. Would have been much easier (er, less difficult) in the past when he could have got loads of miles in first.

Undoubtedly, I'd say. It's the same for Alguerusuari. He's going to be a very busy boy on the Friday.

runshaw · 16 Jul 2009, 15:04 (Ref:2502815)

He also impressed Renault at Paul Ricard when he swapped places with Kovalainen. He only finished 1 second down on Heikki. He also took the Peugeot Le Mans car out at Paul Ricard and was less than a second off Sarrazin. With his Le Mans and track experience, I think he would adapt very quickly, he is a just a great driver.

jab · 16 Jul 2009, 15:05 (Ref:2502817)

I'll be blunt - he'll be slow

andy97 · 16 Jul 2009, 15:12 (Ref:2502820)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jab

I'll be blunt - he'll be slow

I really wish that I was that "slow"!

nycuk · 16 Jul 2009, 15:34 (Ref:2502824)

I'd like to see it. However I don't think it'll be a success, other than a great publicity stunt for Red Bull.

Loeb is a genius in a rally car and of course performed well at Le Mans, but I doubt very much he'd do a better job than Buemi or Alguersuari (or Boudais for that matter) in my opinion.

From a historical point of view, has an international level rally driver ever made a successful transition to single seaters? I can't think of any?

Super Hans · 16 Jul 2009, 15:36 (Ref:2502826)

Well put it this way, I'm excited about this but I'm not expecting him to be quick straight away. Regardless of his undoubted rallying prowess, he's 35 and has next-to-no experience in single-seaters.

jab · 16 Jul 2009, 15:41 (Ref:2502829)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nycuk

From a historical point of view, has an international level rally driver ever made a successful transition to single seaters? I can't think of any?

Henri Toivonen did a bit of F3 and was very impressive, according to Eddie Jordan. Mikkola, McRae (see here) and Makinen tested for Arrows, Jordan and Williams respectively, and Carlos Sainz demo'd a Renault a couple of years ago. Also Sarrizan went the other way and drove for Subaru on tarmac WRC events

Walter Rohrl did a bit of DTM for Audi as well, I think, although obviously not single-seaters

**chunterer** · 16 Jul 2009, 16:17 (Ref:2502847)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jab

Henri Toivonen did a bit of F3 and was very impressive, according to Eddie Jordan. Mikkola, McRae (see here) and Makinen tested for Arrows, Jordan and Williams respectively, and Carlos Sainz demo'd a Renault a couple of years ago. Also Sarrizan went the other way and drove for Subaru on tarmac WRC events

Walter Rohrl did a bit of DTM for Audi as well, I think, although obviously not single-seaters

Vic Elford is the stand out example I think, he was as quick (enough) in an F1car as he was on the loose.

Colin was fairly quick in the Jordan test in the mid 90's and Carols Sainz drove a Marlboro backed FF2000 back in '84, getting on fairly well at a time when he was still to decide which career path to take IIRC.

With Loeb, excellent as he is, I have to agree with those who say he would in all likelihood struggle in a one off drive with hardly any proper testing available beforehand. That's not to say that he could turn up in an older car in some general straighline stuff though just to acclamatise.

On the other hand as it is the last race of the season then the team doesn't have a lot to lose, and quite a lot of publicity to gain!

Osella · 16 Jul 2009, 16:20 (Ref:2502849)

This will be their fourth Seb, no? I know the spellings vary slightly; but I support this move for the esoteric value alone... And he'll do fine. He's done sportscars too (he'll join Wibba and TGF in that regard)

VIVA GT · 16 Jul 2009, 16:23 (Ref:2502850)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jab

Henri Toivonen did a bit of F3 and was very impressive, according to Eddie Jordan. Mikkola, McRae (see here) and Makinen tested for Arrows, Jordan and Williams respectively, and Carlos Sainz demo'd a Renault a couple of years ago. Also Sarrizan went the other way and drove for Subaru on tarmac WRC events

Walter Rohrl did a bit of DTM for Audi as well, I think, although obviously not single-seaters

Well done jab, you beat me to that one.
Another example (although I admit it was only to Touring Cars and not F1), Tony Pond was quite handy on the race track, as well as on the rally stages a few years ago.

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