On Monday, January 9, Frederic Vasseur officially began his work in Maranello as Ferrari team principal. After Mattia Binotto’s departure, the Frenchman is called upon to take on the difficult task of bringing the Prancing Horse back to the top of the world, something that hasn’t happened since 2008, when – under Stefano Domenicali‘s management – Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen won eight races (six victories for the Brazilian and two for the Finn) giving the Scuderia the constructors’ title.
Speaking of 2008… there is an interesting story which not everyone remembers and features Michael Schumacher as the key figure. Giuseppe Canetti recalls this moment in a recent article for formula1.it:
Michael Schumacher is rightly considered one of the greatest drivers in the history of Formula 1, the greatest ever according to millions of fans and many paddock insiders. The German legend won seven world titles between 1994 and 2004, five of them alongside the Maranello team. Retiring in 2006, Michael then returned to the sport by joining the Mercedes project. In between, however, precisely in 2008, he was very close to joining Ferrari again, but not as a driver.
Yes, because, even if few remember it, Michael Schumahcer was offered the position of Ferrari team principal to replace outgoing boss Jean Todt. This was revealed by the French manager himself.
“Michael Schumacher was the best candidate of all, but he didn’t accept,” Jean Todt told the German press at the time.
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After the refusal of the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, it was the current managing director of F1, Stefano Domenicali, who took over the reins of the Scuderia until 2014. Under his management only one title arrived, the constructors’ title in his first year in Maranello, when Felipe Massa missed out on the Drivers’ title in a dramatic final race of the season. Then there was the succession of Marco Mattiacci, Maurizio Arrivabene and Mattia Binotto, all figures who, for one reason or another, did not bring the desired results to Maranello.
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