Ferrari have confirmed that Michael Schumacher will be asked to take a subsidiary role to Eddie Irvine if the German resumes driving this season with no chance of winning another world title himself.

Luca di Montezemolo, Ferrari's chairman, said yesterday: "The day Schumacher gets back it will be to help Ferrari. What we care about is Ferrari's victory. Drivers must follow directives. Schumacher has said it and will do it. He will be at Ferrari's service."

This is the first formal acknowledgement that Schumacher's world title chances will be over if he is not back before the Italian grand prix at Monza on September 12th.

Doctors treating Schumacher, who broke his right leg in two places when he crashed into a protective tyre wall in last month's British grand prix, believe this is the earliest that he can realistically hope to compete again. That would give him 40 points to race for.

After victories in the Austrian and German grands prix Irvine, originally number two to Schumacher, is 20 points ahead of the German and he can be expected to increase that gap to at least 30 during the next two races in Hungary and Belgium.

By then Schumacher's priority will be taking points from Mika Hakkinen in his McLaren and helping Irvine.