Luca Cordero di Montezemolo won't enter Italian politics; actually, he says he "can't wait to have more time to dedicate to Ferrari", as of next year, when his office as Confindustria President ends.

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo won't enter politics; actually, he he says "can't wait to have more time to dedicate to Ferrari", as of next year, when his office as Confindustria President ends. That's what he said in an interview with the TG1 news reported AGI, claiming that his future "is as a manager, as an entrepreneur. I am Fiat President, that's quite a big task, and hence that's my choice".

At the Ferrari end-of-year reception, Montezemolo announced that the next Confindustria president will "reasonably be one of the current deputy presidents". Politics can be done "even by doing your job well, and stimulating other people to do so too". He said that Italy is a country "with exceptional individualities in sport, such as AC Milan, the national football team, Ferrari...all world champions, and the same must happen for the industry."

Montezemolo, who was born in the Italian city of Bologna and gained a law degree at university, shot to prominence in the mid-1970s when he was appointed team manager at Scuderia Ferrari. After a successful stint with the F1 team he went on to undertake a series of high profile jobs including managing director of drinks firm Cinzano, director of publishing group Itedi, managing Italy's first ever Americas Cup yacht bid (1982) and organising Italy's hosting of the FIFA Football World Cup in 1990. A year later he was appointed President of Ferrari, which had been languishing ever since Enzo Ferrari's death, and he set about a transformation of the company's fortunes both on the race tracks, and with a string of highly successful roadcars. During his tenure at Ferrari he also took over responsibility for Maserati (1997-2005).

At the end of May 2004 he was appointed President of Confindustria, the powerful Italian business lobby group, and very shortly afterwards he because President of Fiat on the death of Umberto Agnelli. He also remained President of Ferrari, but strengthened the management as he concentrated on his new positions by appointing F1 team boss Jean Todt as managing director. Since then much Italian media speculation has suggested a possible future Prime Ministerial bid by Montezemolo who has always been vocal in support of Italian business interests and has expressed on occasion his dissatisfaction with the political direction of the country.