"The only one that was close to him was the Brazilian Ayrton Senna": When Ferrari icon Luca di Montezemolo paid tribute to Michael Schumacher

Former Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo once raved about seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher and termed him the 'best ever' in F1 history. The German driver joined the Italian team in 1996 after winning two consecutive world championships with Benetton in his bid to turn the Maranello-based outfit's fortunes around.

After initial failed title bids in 1997 and 1998, Schumacher finally led the Prancing Horses to their first driver's title at the turn of the century to end their 20-year drought.

In a clip floating on Instagram, Di Montezemolo can be seen praising Michael Schumacher in an old interview. He opined that the only driver who came close to the German was Ayrton Senna.

"In my opinion, yes. Since I've been involved with Formula 1 in early 70s. Because I've never seen in my life a driver that from the first lap of the race until the last can be quick like in qualifying lap, so like in the pole position lap, every time with the same exact time of the previous lap," Di Montezemolo said (via F1 Curse's Instagram account).

"I've seen many quick drives, they do one quick lap, then two medium, then another one. Good physical condition, very concentrated. Well, it's difficult to make this comparison in every sport, in the bicycle, in soccer, because the time is different, the cars are different. But since 1970, in my opinion, the only one close to him was Brazilian Ayrton Senna," he added.

Under Di Montezemolo's leadership, Michael Schumacher raced to five consecutive world championships from 2000 to 2004, and guided Ferrari to six Consecutive titles from 1999 to 2004.

When Former Ferrari boss spoke about Michael Schumacher's importance

In June 2018, former Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo said Michael Schumacher was a 'very important' part of his life. The Italian put him in the same category as three-time F1 world champion Niki Lauda.

Speaking at the opening of the Schumacher collection in Cologne, di Montezemolo had said (via RaceFans):

“Michael is an important part of my life. We won many races. I think only Niki was as important as Michael in professional life because even with Niki, in the seventies, we won a lot of races. With Michael, it was different [to Lauda] because we started from grass."

The German driver left the Italian team at the end of the 2006 season when he announced his retirement from F1. However, he tried to make a comeback with Ferrari in 2009 but sustained injuries in an accident.

Schumacher returned to the sport in 2010 with Mercedes and raced for them until 2012, when he finally hung up his gloves to go into full-time retirement.