Loeb thinks he's too old for F1 switch now

Sebastien Loeb has played down speculation he could follow up his all-conquering world rally career with a stint in Formula One.

Just as F1's 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen was deciding to switch to the world rally championship late last year, seven-time consecutive WRC title winner Frenchman Loeb was eyeing his Grand Prix debut.

But the 36-year-old has now told CNN that is it "too late" for him to seriously consider switching to Formula One.

"I don't think it's (a) potential for the future," said Loeb.

But he revealed he came close to driving for Toro Rosso in Abu Dhabi last year.

Loeb said "everything was planned to do the last race of the season and the FIA didn't give me the licence for that".

"Now I'm 36 years old and when you see some young drivers coming in, they're 20 years old, so maybe's it's a bit too late.

"If I have the opportunities to drive a Formula One car, for sure I will take it, but I've got no plan to do a career in that," he added.

Loeb will rally again in 2011, but he is not sure what he will do beyond that.

"I will maybe have some other plans, but not especially in Formula One," he said.