Loeb joins Pescarolo for Le Mans.

2004 World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb is to take part in the Le Mans 24 hours in June after agreeing a deal to partner Soheil Ayari and Eric Helary in the team run by Henri Pescarolo.

Loeb will drive a Pescarolo-Judd in the LMP1 category, while a second car is being entered for Emmanuel Collard, Erik Comas and Jean-Christophe Bouillon.

"You cannot really say it is a dream [to do Le Mans], as my passion is for rallying," Loeb told his personal website. "But above all I want to do this race for pleasure. Le Mans is a mythical race and to be able to do it with a Pescarolo-Judd is great.

"It will be a chance for me to discover something different and experiment a little in a car that is very different from those in the WRC."

"It is too early to say how I will get on, because I am entering a 'phase of discovery'," he added.

"I believe the hardest thing for me will be to adapt to the speed in the corners. With the grip and aerodynamics, it is another world. I am not accustomed to taking corners at 280 km/h. Braking is also different. In rallying you play with the accelerator and the brake to place the car or to change the trajectory. On a racing circuit it is pure deceleration. The only similarity is the use of the left foot!"

The Frenchman, who is due to test the car next week, following preparations with Citroen for the next round of the WRC - the Rally Italia Sardinia - does have some experience of circuit racing from competing in the MG Trophy and the Nurburgring 24 hours, but this will be the first time he has ever raced at La Sarthe.

"Next week I will have two days testing with the Pescarolo-Judd. It will be essential for me to take my time and find the reference marks on this car, which are very different from my usual references," he concluded.