Kubica can surpass Raikkonen's WRC achievements - Loeb
Sebastien Loeb is confident Robert Kubica can surpass Kimi Raikkonen's achievements and establish himself as a frontrunner in the World Rally Championship
Raikkonen switched from Formula 1 to the WRC full-time in 2010, but despite flashes of speed he failed to meet with consistent or notable success.
After two years the Finn elected to return to F1 with Lotus, for which he has since won twice. He currently lies second in this year's world championship.
Loeb feels that Kubica can outshine Raikkonen should he opt for a full-time move into the WRC.
The Pole has shown great speed in a variety of European Rally Championship and WRC outings this year - including leading ERC events and running second before retiring in the WRC2 class of Rally Portugal - but has also crashed several times.
Asked if Kubica could match Raikkonen, Loeb said: "I'm sure he will be faster because, unlike Kimi, he takes things very seriously and he wants to be there.
"Kimi was good at the start but he never improved like he wanted, and then he went back to F1 and began winning again.
"Now Robert, I think, is really doing it seriously. He's working to improve and I'm sure if he sticks to it he will be fast.
"He needs experience to stay on the road a bit more, because he's doing a few mistakes at the moment, but he has shown very good speed."
Asked if Kubica could be a success in the WRC, Loeb added: "You never know. It's a question of seconds, and little seconds at the end.
"It's difficult to say exactly, but he really seems to have the feeling to be at the top, so I'm sure he could be good."
Loeb insisted he has no intention to add to his planned four WRC outings in 2013, saying he has "enough races and testing" to make more rallies unfeasible.
Alongside commitments in FIA GTs and the Porsche Supercup, the nine-time WRC champion will in this year's Pikes Peak hillclimb in a Peugeot 208 T16.
The French firm unveiled Loeb's livery for the June 30 event on Monday.
Kubica's next rally outing is in this weekend's ERC round in Corsica.
World Rally Championship close to sealing 2014 China return
Mapping out the WRC's future - again
Why WRC's Safari tour is more than just a rally
OPINION: A source of national pride in Kenya, the Safari Rally is also a sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon. And as last weekend's World Rally Championship round reminded us, it's a key driver in establishing Africa’s place in world motorsport
How Rovanpera tamed a wild Safari Rally
The Safari Rally acted as a brutal test of driver and car resolve as multiple retirements opened the path for a historic Toyota 1-2-3-4 triumph, headed by star Kalle Rovanpera. But keeping things clean was only half of the challenge, as a well-timed charge when conditions worsened allowed the Finn to take control
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause
How Rovanpera overcame rallying royalty in Portugal to extend his WRC lead
Although the Rally Portugal entry list featured World Rally Championship royalty in Sebastiens Loeb and Ogier, victory was secured by rallying's rising star in Kalle Rovanpera. Here's the story of his 2022 hat-trick, as his key rivals faltered among the gravel and asphalt ahead of them
The former WRC star playing the unsung hero role for Rovanpera
Kalle Rovanpera’s 2022 World Rally Championship displays have been spectacular, with the Toyota driver benefitting from a secret weapon in his crew to win two of the opening three rallies. But while the former challenger to Sebastien Loeb won’t take credit for his fellow Finn's performances, a key bond has been formed which could prove key to Rovanpera’s title charge
How Rovanpera's Croatia turnaround sent a message to his WRC rivals
After a dominating Rally Croatia, a wrong tyre choice on the final day looked to have undone all Kalle Rovanpera's hard work and left him with a mountain to climb heading into the power stage. That he emerged the winner all the same has surely quelled any lingering doubts that the Finn is the man to beat in the 2022 WRC
How M-Sport's faith in Loubet led to a WRC reprieve after a dismal 2021
It's fair to say 2021 was a year to forget for Pierre-Louis Loubet. A maiden full World Rally Championship season offered hope but soon turned into a nightmare that ended in hospital, after being hit by a car in a road traffic accident. Now handed a lifeline by M-Sport, the Frenchman is desperate to rebuild his career
Why WRC mechanics deserve more respect
The drivers get the glare of attention, but it’s the mechanics who are key to the operation of any World Rally Championship car. Autosport donned a set of overalls and joined M-Sport on a Belgian national rally event to get an inside look into the trials and tribulations of a rally mechanic