Michael Schumacher's wife buys Real Madrid chair's Mallorca villa

It sits in 15,000 square metres (3.7 acres) of grounds with a sea view, gardens and two swimming pools.

Pérez bought the villa, the location of which has not been disclosed, in 2005 and, following the death of his wife María in 2012, stopped going there.

Five years later, he put it up for sale.

The seven-times world champion's wife Corinna, 49, said to be a great lover of nature and animals – which influenced her decision to purchase the property – intends to use the villa as a summer home for holidays with her children, although the Schumachers will continue to live in their mansion in Gland, Switzerland the rest of the year.

The Gland house is kitted out with state-of-the-art equipment needed by the ex-racing driver, 49, who has been out of the public arena since a serious accident whilst skiing off-piste in the French Alpes in December 2013.

Michael sustained severe head injuries and needed surgery to drain fluid off his brain several times, and was placed in an induced coma.

He slipped into a persistent vegetative state (PVS) and, although he awoke and some movement and recognition was reported, he was left seriously disabled and is unable to walk.

The full extent of Schumacher's condition and how far, if at all, he has recovered remains a mystery, since the family and the driver's former manager Sabine Kelm closed ranks and have refused to given any further details, fiercely protecting their privacy.

Michael and Corinna's son Mick,19, has followed his father's footsteps into motorsport and is currently competing in Formula 3 with the Italian scuderia Prema Poweteam, whilst his sister Gina Maria, 21, competes professionally in western riding and is reportedly in a relationship with showjumper Iain Bethke.