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 Montezemolo - was to op💃en the door for Kimi Raikkonen.

Schumacher would remain part of the team between 2007𒅌 and 2009, before making a sensational comeback with Mercedes in 2010.

The German te༺sted for Ferrari in 2007, while attending several races as 🙈their technical advisor, often seen 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 t♍he team’s new sporting director - or team principal.

Instead, Stefano Domenicali, who is now in charge of F1 as a whole🎃, took the role from 2008 tဣo 2014.

"Michael Schumacher was the best candidate of al✱l, but he has not accepted," Todt confirmed to the German press backꦡ in 2008.

Schumacher remained clꦰose with the tea💛m, acting as an advisor to driver Felipe Massa, while helping the team in their battles with McLaren in 2007 and 2008.

In Todt’s final year in charge, Raikkonen took the dr💃ivers’ title at Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso’s expense in a dramatic finale at Interlagos.

Under Domenicali, F🐎errari were 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 were unable to maintain the momentum they had with Sc🧸humacher, 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 showed𓆏 in the 200🅘0s.

The problems that ⭕existed under Domenicali remained under Maruzio Arrivabene, leading to further failed title charges with Sebastian Vettel.

A change of leadership didn’t change Ferrari’s on-track fortunes with Mattia Binotto unable to lead Charles Leclerc to glory in 2022 despite having the quickest car on t💫he grid for the majority of the yearᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ.

Fast forward to the end of 2012, Mercedes boss Ross Braw🥀n tipped Schumacher for a role in man⛎agement 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 consiꦰderation at the moment, but Michael's experience of motor racing, and his judgಌement and so on, would be an asset to any team.

"I am not sur🌸e he wants a 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 well 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 December 2013, it’s highly likely Schumacher would have been invoღlved with M𒁃ercedes or even a return to Ferrari in the future.

Schumacher’s wealth of experience in F1 would have been an asset to any ꦺF1 team.

• Michael Schumacher now: What do we know about F1 leꦍgend?

While being a successful driver doesn’t necessarily mean you will be a great team boss, Schumacher was revolutionaryꦜ for F1 with the way he changed how serious drivers take fitness and preparation, let alone what he achieved on track.