Zoom Loeb tested the R27 last year at Paul Ricard

Fresh from getting out of his Citroen C4 WRC at the end of Rally Japan, newly-crowned five-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb has been handed a fantastic prize for his title by Citroen Sport’s sponsor Red Bull.

Red Bull Racing will give the Frenchman a chance to test one of its RB4s at the official F1 test session on Monday 17th November in Barcelona.

Beforehand, Loeb will go to the team’s headquarters in Milton Keynes to meet the team in order to prepare for the test and will make his first acquaintance with Renault-powered RB4 during a preliminary shakedown at Silverstone.

"I’m absolutely delighted by this present from Red Bull to celebrate my fifth World Rally Championship title," declared the Frenchman. "I already got the chance to test a Formula One car last year, but this time the circumstances will be a little different. I’m now going to find myself in the midst of all the regular F1 drivers during an official test. I just hope that I don’t make a fool of myself!"

Loeb joked that the test was not a precursor to a serious shot at becoming a Formula One driver. "I’d like to clear up any speculation about me possibly switching to F1 next year I’m definitely going to be driving a Citroen C4 WRC on the World Rally Championship!"

E.A. © CAPSIS International