Having recently stepped down at Air Berlin, it is rumoured Niki Lauda could be looking to return to the world of aviation.
As he became a shareholder and the chairman at Mercedes’ works team, the famous Austrian stepped down from an existing management position at Air Berlin.
The business newspaper Handelsblatt speculated last month that Lauda "wants to dedicate his future to his role in formula one".
But the Austrian daily Der Standard is now reporting that Alitalia, Italy’s struggling national airline, has targeted former triple world champion Lauda for the role of managing director.
"We do not comment on these media indiscretions," an Alitalia spokesperson told the APA news agency.
And Lauda told Die Presse newspaper: "I’ve heard the rumours but no one has spoken to me — not even the journalists who peddle the story.