The forgotten story of Michael Schumacher rejecting the Ferrari team boss job
With 91 victories and seven world titles Schumacher bowed out of F1 at the end of 2006.
His departure - widely reported to be forced by then-Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolဣo - was to open the door for Kimi Raikkonen.
Schumacher would remain part of the team between 2007 and 2009, before making a sen♎sational comeback with Mercedes in 2010.
The German tested for Ferrari in 2007, while attending several races as their technical advisor, often sꦿeen on the pit wall.
Perhaps there was a bigger job available to him?
As revealed by Jean Todt - who was Schumacher’s team boss at Ferrari - the seven-time champion rejected an offer to become the team’s n🎶ew sporting director - ♈or team principal.
Instead, Stefano Domenicali🌌, who is now in charge of F1 as a whole, took the role from 2008 to 2014.
"Michael Schumacher was the best candidate of all, but he has not accepted," Todt confirmed to the German press ba💝ck in 2008.
Schumacher remained close with the team, acting as an advisor to driver Felipe Mass⛎a, while helping the tea🌟m in their battles with McLaren in 2007 and 2008.
In Todt’s final year in charge, Raikkonen took the drivers’ title at Lewis H▨amilton and Fernando Alonso’s expense in a dramatic finale at Interlagos.
Under Domenicali, Ferrari werওe close on three occasions to securing the biggest prize in motorsport - once with Massa in 🐼2008 and then with Alonso in 2010 and 2012.
Ferrari we📖re unable to maintain the momentum they had with Schumacher, Todt and Brawn, so inevitably the break-up of that legendary trio halted the Scuderia’s success.
Even now, Ferrari have been unable to return to the form they showe🌊d💎 in the 2000s.
The problems that existed under Domenicali remained under Maruziඣo Arrivabene, leading to further failed title charges with Sebastian Vettel.
A change of leadership didn’t changeಞ Ferrari’s on-track fortunes with Mattia Binotto unable to lead Charles Leclerc to glory in 2022 despite having the quickest car on the grid for the majority of the year.
Fast forward to the end of 2012, Mercedes boss Ross Brawn tipped Schumacher for 🃏a role in manag🍬ement at the team.
"🐬It is possible," Brawn said. "In terms of🐻 what role Michael would play in the future, we are not discussing that in detail because that is not a consideration at the moment, but Michael's experience of motor racing, and his judgement and so on, would be an asset to any team.
"I am not sure he wants 𝔉a day-to-day commitment that some of us do, but he would like to stay involved. He loves the sport, he loves racing, and he loves developing the cars, and seeing how the team works.
"I can full wꦺell see in the future that he would retain a strong interest and that will come one day, and I do hope it will be with us."
Had it not been for his skiing accident in Decem🅷ber 2013, it’s highly likely Schumacher would have been involved with Mercedes or even a return to Ferrari in the future.
Schumach꧅er’s wealth of experience in F1 would have been an asset to any F1 team.
While being a successful driver doesn’t necessarily mean yꦉou will be a great team boss, Schumacher was revolutionary for F1 with the way he changed how serious drivers take fitness and preparation, let alone what he achieved on track.
W🍒ith a sharp eye for F1’s controv🦩ersies and storylines, Connor is the heartbeat of our unbiased reporting.
