Luca Cordero di Montezemolo revealed details of another health scare which came before his horror skiing accident in 2013.
During the opening of an exhibition of Schumacher’s legendary car collection in Cologne, Mr Cordero di Montezemolo said he asked the F1 legend to come back to racing in 2009, five years after he won his last title, because another driver had dropped out.
Schumacher had been badly injured in a motorcycle accident, suffering fractures on his and at the base of his skull.
Mr Montezemolo said Schumacher returned to the racing department “full of enthusiasm, like a kid or young driver”.
However, the F1 legend had to pull out.
He added: “Unfortunately his doctor had to stop him from returning. He was not ready, which was bad for all of us.”
Schumacher’s won his first two world titles in 1994 and 1995 and then when he moved to Ferrari he won another five titles from 2000 to 2004.
Mr Cordero di Montezemolo’s emotional speech comes as F1 legend Schumacher continues his well-publicised health battle following a skiing accident four years ago.
Schumacher suffered a severe head injury, despite wearing a helmet in 2013, while skiing at the exclusive Meribel resort in the French Alps.
He was put into a medically induced coma before undergoing two life-saving operations.
Schumacher woke from his coma on June 16, 2016 – 169 days after his skiing accident.
The champion’s family have released little information on Schumacher’s medical condition and prefer to keep updates few and far between.
His wife Corinna Betsch has bought a £27million house in Majorca, from Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez, it was revealed yesterday.
In November, his wife Corinna Betsch said: “The decision to protect his privacy from the public has been taken in Michael’s interest.”
His agent Sabine Kehm also made it clear in December 2016: “Michael’s health is not a public issue, and so we will continue to make no comment in that regard.”
In January, a doctor speculated that Schumacher could make a recovery and told fans to not “give up hope”.
Professor Mark Obermann, Director of the Centre for Neurology at the Asklepios clinic in Seesen, Germany said: “According to a Swedish study, between 30 and 40 percent of patients have regained consciousness within four years. “
In March the family released an emotional statement on their stricken loved one. On behalf of the family Ms Kehm said: “What can be said is that the family really appreciates the empathy of the fans.
“The people really do see and understand (his health situation) is not to be shared in the public eye.”
Additional reporting by Monika Pallenberg