Reigning eight-time world champion Sebastien Loeb is not ready to retire from rallying just yet, but his decision to set up his own racing team shows that his thoughts are beginning to turn towards the future.

The 37-year-old has created Sebastien Loeb Racing, with the eventual aim of competing in the prestigious Le Mans 24-hour race.

“I am closer to the end of my career than the start and top-level sportsmen don’t always find it easy when they retire,” he said at the official launch of the team on Thursday in his home town of Haguenau, eastern France.

“The aim is to build something that will allow me, after my career as a driver is over, to remain involved in motorsport, which is my passion.”

Dominique Heintz, the man who “discovered” Loeb and helped finance his first years in motorsport, has been handed the role of team boss, and explained that the target is “to be competitive at Le Mans by 2014, or even 2013.”

In the meantime, Loeb is expected to compete in the World Rally Championship for Citroen for at least the next two years, before focusing all his energy on his new project.