Todt: Schumacher will never be team boss

Todt caused intrigue in Monaco last weekend when he told the Italian media that he believed Schumacher had all the credentials to become team principal at Ferrari.

But when asked later about his comments, and whether there had been serious talks with Schumacher about the possibility, Todt said: "I am not going to comment on this question. I think that he will never do it.

"You know what it means, 'never'? N-E-V-E-R? You look in the dictionary, and you will find it explained."

Todt is widely expected to step down from his position at the end of this year, and recent talk has suggested that former technical director Ross Brawn could replace him.

But speaking to the Italian media at the weekend, Todt said: "Yes we are thinking about people who could take over the whole responsibility of Gestione Sportiva.

"You must always try to plan for the future. Michael has the skills to do it and for me it would be the best, but he does not want to do it. Michael loves the team and the team loves him.

"He is a very clever guy, he knows that to be the head of Gestione Sportiva is a very demanding job where you need to spend 10 or 12 hours every day in the office and be solving problems. Simply he doesn't want to do that, which I can understand."

Todt told Gazzetta dello Sport that Brawn had not yet made any official approach to the team about becoming team boss.

"Could Brawn take my place? If he asks me he could be taken into consideration."