Schumacher heartbreak: 'We wanted to bring racing hero back' reveals Ferrari boss

The seven-time champion left Ferrari in 2006 and went on to race for Mercedes between 2010 and 2013.

But it has emerged the F1 hero nearly made a triumphant return to his former team in 2009 after being persuaded by charismatic team principal Luca di Montezemolo.

The record-breaking driver was due to take part in the Spanish Grand Prix, but the hopes of both Schumacher and Ferrari were dashed after medical issues prevented him from driving.

Former team boss di Montezemolo revealed he met with Schumacher in 2009 after Ferrari driver Felipe Massa suffered a horror crash in Hungary.

Michael Schumacher was reluctant at first, and it took an hour to convince him to drive for The Prancing Horse again.

Speaking at the opening of the Schumacher exhibition in Cologne today, di Montezemolo said: “I was very sad when Felipe had this terrible accident in Budapest, so I asked Michael to come to my office.

“I said to him, ‘Listen, Michael, you have to do that for me and for Ferrari, you have to go back’.”

Schumacher, who was working as a consultant for Ferrari at the time, initially refused.

Di Montezemolo said: “For half an hour he could not be persuaded.

“After an hour he said: ‘Okay, I can not refuse this.'”

Following the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, which saw Masa crash during qualifying after a piece of debris from another car smashed into his helmet, the team had four weeks until the next race in Valencia.

After getting Schumacher on board – and lining up a two-year-old Ferrari F2007 for him to drive – they hoped to he would be ready in time for the Spanish Grand Prix.

But an injury he sustained in a motorbike accident earlier in 2009 would ultimately scupper his chances of racing for his old team.

Schumacher’s personal doctor warned the spinal fractures he suffered in the crash could cause serious problems under the harsh physical punishment of F1 racing.

Di Montezemolo said: “He went into the racing department and was full of enthusiasm, like a kid or a young driver.

“Then he went to Mugello and did a very good test with the old car, but unfortunately his doctor had to stop him from returning and he said he was not ready, which was bad for all of us.”

F1 star Michael Schumacher suffered a severe head injury in December 29, 2013 while skiing in the French Alps.

Doctors placed him in a medically induced coma in order to perform two life-saving operations.

He was withdrawn from the coma in April 2014, before returning home five months later.

Schumacher’s family have been reluctant to share information on the F1 legend’s recovery, but they have revealed he is continuing rehabilitation from his home on the shores of Lake Geneva.

Additional reporting by Monika Pallenberg.