The Todt-Schumacher partnership resulted in an unprecedented period of dominance for Ferrari as they reigned supreme in F1 between 2000 and 2004.

But it wasn’t always plain-sailing…

After two world champജionship triumphs at Benetton, Schumacher made the move to Ferrari for 1996.

At this point, Ferrari hadn’t won the constructors’ title since 1983 having been beaten by McLaren꧅ and Williams during the subsequent years.

Todt had♉ be🎶en at the team since 1993 - and the pressure was starting to build.

Again in 1996, Williams were the team to beat as Damon Hill went head-to-head with rookie teammate Jacques V❀illenueve ♏for the title.

Ferrari - similar to Red Bull in Mercedes’ domꩲinant years in the hybrid era - could only settle for podiums, relying on the brilliance of Schumacher.

Schumacher showed why he was the class of the field with his iconic, wet weather victory at the 1996 Spanish Grand Prix - but they were no closer to challenging Williams on raw𝄹 ℱpace.

As seen over the years, the top job at Ferrari is pꦿrobably ♈the toughest in F1, with Todt’s leadership coming into question.

In a recent intervie𓆏൲w with , Todt revealed that Schumacher’s loyalty was the reason he remained in charge despite the team not challenging for world championships.

“The situation was disastrous at the beginning,” he said. “In '96 there was a lot of talk about my dismissal. Michael had just arrived and saw that my plan was right, the people who were about to arrive and with whom I was🔴 dealing in secret corresponded to our plan. This is why he intervened and said: “If Todt leaves, I'll leave too”.”

Schumacher’s loyalty in Todt paid o♏ff as🎉 alongside Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne, Ferrari’s success soon followed.

Schumacher missed out on the 1997 title to Vi🐼llenueve after a controversial finale, while McLaren and Mika Hakkinen came out on top in t✅he subsequent years.

“The first one in 1997 was Michael's bullshit,” Todt added. “On that occasion we protected him a lot. In '98 there was the scandalous beha💫viour of Coulthard, who at Spa in the rain braked in front of him to get rear-ended and stop him.

“In '99 Michael broke his leg 🅺in an accident. When he returned, he helped Irviꩵne.

“Even if he had given up the position in the last race, the titꦓle would still have gon𒊎e to Hakkinen. But first place among the constructors came."

The drought for Ferrari f🐽inally ended in 2000 as Schumacher s♒ecured his third world title.

T💝odt described it as his “happiest sporting moment”.

“In 2000 we win,” he concluded. “The hug with Michael on the podium is the happiest sporting moment of my life. We have finally achieved the goal we set oursel♔ves in 1993.”

The success didn’t stop there as Schuma🐈cher added four more titles to his CV, becoming F1’s first-ever seven-time world champion.

The great German went 🥂close again in 2006 before bowing ou🐽t of Ferrari at the end of the year.

At the end of 2007, ♈Todt did the same, bringing an end to the legendary Ferrari superteam.

Even to this day, the Sc🍌uderia haven’t quite recovღered.