Ferrari to pay Schu $6m in ’07

(GMM) He may not turn a single wheel in anger, but retired seven time world champion Michael Schumacher will earn as much as twelve times more in 2007 than McLaren rookie Lewis Hamilton.

That is the finding of Germany's best-selling tabloid newspaper Bild-Zeitung, which claims that 37-year-old Schumacher's role as a Ferrari 'assistant' next year comes with a $6m pay-check.

In contrast, rookie and GP2 champion Hamilton's salary at Mercedes-powered McLaren is reportedly a paltry $500,000, and a clause in his contract allows him to be replaced after every grand prix if he is not up to speed.

'Bild' said Schumacher's role will be to give advice to Jean Todt and possibly even occasionally test the Italian team's F1 cars.

But Schumacher said at the FIA gala awards last Friday: "The good thing is I don't need to know what I am going to do tomorrow any more.

"I have scheduled my life around motor racing for 30 years, so for at least six months I want no schedule and no plan."

'Bild' added that Kimi Raikkonen will make $25m next year, contrary to recent reports that said the Finn will simply take over Schumacher's Philip-Morris bolstered wage that tipped the scales at an estimated $50m.

Bild said world champion Fernando Alonso's McLaren salary is 'only' $20m.

"No one will ever again earn as much as Michael did," Schumacher's manager Willi Weber said.