Ferrari Boss Luca di Montezemolo: Italy’s Next President?

Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo has confirmed plans to run in Italy's 2013 presidential race, according to reports out of Europe this week.

It is not the first time the outspoken Italian has been linked to talks of a political campaign. In 2007, while he was also president of Italy's Confindustria employers' federation, reports suggested Montezemolo would soon make a run for the presidency.

A letter this week to his Italia Futura think tank - which it is believed will form the basis of a new centrist coalition - appears to have announced his intentions.

"There is no way that the Italians want to see the same old faces, the politicians who have allowed the situation to become the way it is," the letter reads.

"The next election will be an historic event that must mark a new beginning in our public life."

The letter is reportedly signed "Luca di Montezemolo, Future President of Italy".

In the motoring world, Montezemolo has suffered few defeats. After serving as Enzo Ferrari's assistant in the early 70s, he went on to become a senior manager with Ferrari's parent company, Fiat.

In 1991, Montezemolo was made president of Ferrari, where he went on to resurrect the struggling brand's fortunes on the race track and on the road.

It was under Montezemolo's leadership that Ferrari won the 1999 F1 constructors' championship, followed by the drivers' championship in 2000.

In 2004, he was elected chairman of Fiat, holding the role until stepping down in 2010. It was at this point, and with the 2009 founding of Italia Futura, that talk of a political career took off. Montezemolo says the group now has 40,000 members.

"We must start working even harder to create a strong, united network throughout Italy by June and also work hard to introduce realistic measures to tackle the numerous emergency situations in the country," Montezemolo said.