A single race 'just for fun' isn't going to do that much damage, if he struggles he can say it was fun, thank Red Bull everyone will agree how hard F1 cars are to drive and play it as just being for the experience. If he's good/ok then he's good and there's no PR issues.

I say STR/Loeb should go for it, it'll be a great bit of PR for Red Bull.

Wich car will he drive, Buemi´s or Alguersuari´s??

I have absolutely know knowledge of this but I'd guess Alguersuari's contract is as a reserve driver so it's probably easier to take his seat away then Buemi who'd most likely be contracted for the whole season.

NOPE.....dont agree... The speed he showed during winter testing against other F1 drivers has me convinced he will do considerably better than expected, possibly even faster than his teamate....

I really hope he gets the chance...

I'd be all for a 2010 Toro Rosso team with a little sign of life...
This year has been disappointing to follow them. Buemi has to start getting it together, as for SebastJaime, he looks out of his league.
I'm really looking forward to seeing Loeb in the GP2 car. Fingers crossed he nails it.

BTW is anyone keeping a Sebastian/Sebastien count going these days?
Its getting absurd. So I did a little research. Here is some trivia-

8 reasons Dieter Mateschitz hires Sebastiens/Sebastians so much-

-As a boy, had a pet bull called 'Sebastien'.
-He thinks British athlete Sebastian Coe is actually a factory where they make Sebastians..
-The Disney film 'The Little Mermaid' is permanently jammed in his minivan's DVD player.
-He made a really drunk bet with a mate that all Sebastians could drive an F1 car *cough Bourdais*
-Was forced into an 'Only 1 Jaime per Team' clause with the FIA.
-He gets a discount on pre-embroidered race-suits when ordering in bulk.
-Had it tatooed on his inner-thigh whilst in the Austrian Army.
-His adultrous ex-wife has a lisp.

Shouldn't that be "Top 10... reasons Dieter Mateschitz hires Sebastiens/Sebastians so much" in the style of David Letterman?

Certainly a position on the writer's squad there should be in the offing with such an excellent effort.

Is this GP2 test confirmed?

Nope, just speculation by the press, but by the way they were talking about it (during the last GP2 race here the TV commentators were talking about it as well) it seems quite certain.

lol cheers. Originally I had 3, then 5. Then I had to run to work and couldn't think of 2 more funnies- so 8 it was.

I wonder what people would accept as "success" in a Loeb one-off in a Toro Rosso? Not pulling a Badoer and finishing last and off the pace by three seconds? Or should we have higher standards?

Top 10!

In a STR he's going to finish last regardless if he's good or not.

I'm going to pull a number off my ass and say getting within 3 tenths of Buemi would be very impressive.

I honestly don't agree that it will make him look good.

Badoer was extremely slow and he is a guy who has raced open wheelers for more than 20 years.

I know Loeb looked quick-ish in testing but so did Badoer and Rossi.

I think it will dent his reputation severely if he gets wasted.

It doesnt matter so much if he is off the pace, he can say i am rally driver, used to go sideways.

He is a true champion to even be considering this imo

I'm not doubting Loeb's place.

He's an awesome multiple world champion and a great sportsman.

But the F1 field is so incredibly close these days that I fear he'll be nowhere if he does race.

That said, I'd love to see him race in F1.

Yea for sure, i wish more drivers would do this

I would have liked to see Rossi give it a crack.

But just like with Loeb, I think replacement drivers should be able to get plenty of testing beforehand.

Kinda ruins the surprise element though

Car he'll take over is already back of the grid, nothing to lose really.

Loeb will test with DPR at the GP2 Jerez test 6-8 October... might even test at Abu Dhabi in the GP2 Asia test, according to GPWeek

GPWeek Link

Confirmation on his official website:

http://www.sebastienloeb.com/

and

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news...929132233.shtml

Seems hes taking it very seriously. Id love to see him make a successful transition.

I think he might just make the biggest surprise of the year! ;)

and considering this years antics... that will be a pretty big event!

or he may be horribly slow but fantastically sideways! making overtaking moves around the outside with a nice little drift on...

Either way it will be great to see....

I hate to sound like a broken record but I think Loeb's F1 adventure could backfire horribly.

Badoer has miles more experience in F1 cars and struggled.

Loeb has far, far less time in open wheelers -or even circuit racers- than anyone else he'll be competing against at the top level.

With the field so close that could prove extremely tough.

Don't get me wrong, I'd still love to see it happen though!

I think we get the point and your view on this one!

A little sportsmans wager between you and I...

Should he race, I believe he will upset many people and be quicker than many drivers on the grid...

and you believe he will be last....

Lets see... first lets hope he gets the chance...

You're on!

I think he'll do a competent job but still be a second off Buemi.

I also think he'll struggle to manage his tyres at the right time and get the most out of them.

Prove me wrong Seb!

I'm not bashing the guy by the way, I think he's awesome.

I just reckon it is too much to ask given the complete lack of testing these days.

Now now... you cant state he will be Badoer-like then state he will do a competent job!



Just messing... fingers crossed he gets the AbDab drive....

F1 requires nothing like the skill and driver input in rally. If Loeb gets enough time in the cockpit there's no reason he can't deliver.

Badoer was competent in the race at Spa, he was just too slow...

I think the same will be true of Loeb.

As far as his sublime car control goes, I'm sure Seb has totally amazing feel.

But like Rossi, he needs time in an F1 car to reach his huge potential.

Jumping in cold at Abu Dhabi won't give him a chance to do that.

f1 is a different sport..it's all about getting the last 0.1 sec out of the car in perfectly known track/car/conditions.
rally is a lot about uncertainty, trusting your co-driver, going flat out over a jump not really knowing what lies after it. a completely different feel, requires a lot more flexible driver.
but if he gets to know every turn, every bump, everything will he be able to deliver like the top circuit drivers? i have (some) doubts.
remember RoC where he lost in the citroen xsara, a car he knew.

Loeb is a circuit racer too, he's done Le Mans and done well. But I agree it's very difficult to jump in like he wants to.

I am pretty sure he's a good circuit racer...but here are one of the best ones around....so good may not be enough, he should be very good
but he's a champ, a big one, so just seing him go for it would be nice

I agree with your post about rallying and F1 being totally different sports.

However, I don't think the RoC is a good barometer of the world's best drivers.

There are too many random elements, and lets face it, the track is tighter than Scotsman's wallet.

It's not like he has a lot to lose by doing it anyway. Toro Rosso are at the back of the grid, so he can only go forwards rather than backwards.

Dietrich Mateschitz will be rubbing his hands with glee in the Red Bull towers at the moment.

So Mateschitz wants to have Loeb at STR, but the paddock talk is against him...

TS:
Toro Rosso are not eager to welcome Loeb. "If he came to Abu Dhabi having won the WRC title, media would be very interested. Then, on Friday, he would be 3 secs off the pace, and only the French press would bother. By Saturday there would be zero interest"

Loeb slowest in GP2 testing, three seconds off the fastest driver.

I'm not beating the drum on this, just keeping you up to date...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79340

Yeah I just posted that in GP2 thread ;p but yeah I think this ends the ambitions of Loeb at STR.

When you consider that he was only one second off B. Senna ....

and less than a second off his "team mate"

Whatever the case it at least proves that the Abu Dhabi race is no time for him to make his debut.

3 seconds? more like 2.2

I stand corrected...

We have our bet!

Well they won't be in points anyway (STR) so why not? That's not so bad, superbike champ Bayliss is 6 seconds off the pace in the taxicabs... Loeb is quite close when compared to drivers who have been racing formula cars up through the whole ladder for seasons and seasons.

Agreed....
I thought that was pretty impressive...

I'm good for it!

What's at stake by the way?

Loeb pouring cold water on his GP2 test saying it was not a warm up for Abu Dhabi.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79350

Should have said it BEFORE ending up last...

According to RTL, a 'reliable source' told them that Sébastien Loeb will replace Alguersuari for the Abu Dhabi GP.

I still think it's a bad idea...

..but hey, will be a good talking point for Abu Dhabi.