Five-time world rally champion Sebastian Loeb has admitted that his dreams of racing in Formula One are probably over.
The Frenchman had been keen to race in the season’s finale in Abu Dhabi next weekend, and had been strongly tipped to link up with Red Bull’s junior team, Scuderia Torro Rosso.
However, he had his hopes dashed when the FIA deemed that he did not fulfil the criteria for superlicence, which gives permission for drivers to race in F1.
Loeb now thinks his F1 ambitions will now have to be put on hold forever.
“I told myself that I will probably only have one opportunity like this in my life,” the rally ace told his official website.
“Finding an opportunity like that again seems very unlikely. All this put together, I do not think this opportunity will present itself again.”
Despite giving up on a race switch, Loeb has admitted that he would love to test an F1 car again.
“If my boss lets me go, yes," he said. "It's always a pleasure to drive an F1 car. If I have another opportunity to get back into a single-seater car, I will not pass it up.”
Tom, Sharpe
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