The Lotus F1 team unsuccessfully tried to lure Michael Schumacher out of retirement to replace Ferrari refugee Kimi Raikkonen for the final two races of the 2013 season.
Germany’s seven-time World Champion Schumacher was courted by the Lotus F1 team to come out of retirement for a second at time at the age of 44.
Schumacher’s manager Sabine Kehm confirmed the sensational move to procure the most successful grand prix driver of all-time to the Enstone team following Raikkonen’s decision to undergo back surgery.
“There have been quite a few requests in the past. Michael would still be fit enough but he has a new life,” Kehm told German newspaper Bild.
“I don’t find it unusual that people ask Michael.”
According to reports, rising German star Nico Hulkenberg, who currently drives for Sauber, also turned down the two-race drive at Lotus.
Lotus is understood to have now sealed a deal to sign Heikki Kovalainen to replace Raikkonen.
It will be home-coming of sorts for Kovalainen who made his F1 debut with Renault in 2007 before the Enstone-based team became Lotus F1.
The Finn then moved to McLaren in 2008-2009 before running for the then Lotus-branded Caterham team in 2010-2011.
Now 32-years-old, Kovalainen had to be released from his current reserve driver role with Caterham in order to drive for the team’s once bitter rivals.
