F1: Ferrari Push To Field Third Car In 2010

"Well we're talking about Michael Schumacher. He is 40 years old, but he's still from another planet,” Di Montezemolo told Italy’s La Stampa.

"I prefer the champion, even if matured, to the mediocre driver, even if he's young. Our circus needed some great input.

"We're continuing to fight until every team has the right to start with three cars in the next season. I prefer three McLaren and three Renault to three "whatevers". With BMW gone, there's not much to say but lots to do."

“He answered with such an enthusiasm to my request (to return and replace Felipe Massa); the enthusiasm of a boy and not of a retired champion,” he said.

"He lost four kilos; same weight as in October 2006 when he raced for the last time in Brazil. You can imagine how he took (the news of his injury)."

"I'm really sorry for Michael, because I know how much he wanted to return: I'm saying that as his friend and his fan. We've been in contact during the last days and we drove karts together at Lonato last week. So I followed him very closely in this attempt,” he said.

"Last night he called me a couple of minutes after Stefano Domenicali had told me the news and I know that he'll always be ready to give me some advice and he will shout for me.”