"His career victories speak for themselves, but the competition will be tough against very good drivers, even for a Sebastien Loeb," said DTM boss, former Austrian F1 driver Gerhard Berger.
Loeb, the 48-year-old nine-time world rally champion, already entered in the world rally raid championship and in Extreme E this year, will replace New Zealander Nick Cassidy at the wheel of a Ferrari 488 for the two races of this first Portuguese sleeve.
The WRC legend, whose record for titles, victories (80, including the last Monte Carlo in January) and podiums (120) he holds, is no novice on asphalt: he finished third in the world touring cars in 2014 and 2015, and second in the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Frenchman Sebastian Loeb, driving his Citroën, during the first night race of the World Touring Car Championship, November 27, 2015 at the Lusail circuit (Qatar) KARIM JAAFAR AL-WATAN DOHA/AFP/Archives
"Throughout my career, I have always enjoyed moving from one discipline to another. The DTM is a famous championship and when the opportunity arose to participate, I seized it" , commented the French driver, who recovers the wheel of Cassidy in Portugal, engaged in parallel in Formula E.
The DTM season has eight rounds of two races.
It is unknown at this stage if Loeb will have the opportunity to repeat the experience by the end of the season.
© 2022 AFP