Bio Excerpt: Michela Cerruti carved out a singular place in motorsport history as the only woman to win races across three major categories—touring cars, GT, and open-wheel formula racing. The Italian driver burst onto the scene with a commanding victory at Monza in 2011 driving a Mercedes C63... (full bio below ↓↓)
Michaela Cerruti
Formula racer
click to enlarge
Michaela's Socials:
It was 2008 and Romeo Ferraris was ready to go back to racing. That day we were on track, and I sat behind the wheel of my first racing car, a Renault Clio that had raced in that year’s monobrand championship.
Michaela's Details:
Michaela's Sponsors:
YOUR SPONSORS LOGOS HERE
YOUR SPONSORS LOGOS HERE
YOUR SPONSORS LOGOS HERE
LATEST Michaela NEWS:
Michaela's full bio:
(last updated January 26, 2026
Michela Cerruti is an Italian racing driver who made history as the only woman to win races in three major categories—touring cars, GT, and open-wheel formula racing—before transitioning to team leadership as Team Principal of Romeo Ferraris in 2022.
EARLY YEARS
Born in Rome on February 18, 1987, Cerruti showed an innate talent for speed from childhood, competing in skiing at a competitive level before discovering her true calling behind the wheel. Her father, Aldo Cerruti—known in racing circles as “Baronio”—was a successful touring car driver in the 1970s who collected victories and knew the intoxicating pull of motorsport firsthand.
But Aldo didn’t push his daughter toward racing. Instead, wanting to ensure she could handle a car safely, he enrolled her in a safe driving course with Mario Ferraris. Ferraris immediately recognized something special in the young woman and encouraged her to pursue racing seriously. It was the beginning of a career that would see Cerruti break barriers across multiple disciplines of motorsport.
OTHER INTERESTS
Before committing fully to racing, Cerruti pursued her education with the same dedication she would later bring to the track. She attended the prestigious Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, where she graduated with a degree in Psychology. It was during her university years that she discovered her passion for motorsport could become more than just a hobby—it could be a career.
After retiring from driving in 2017, she expanded her professional repertoire to include television work, becoming a commentator, presenter, and contributor to Italian automotive and motorsport media. The combination of her racing credentials and psychology degree gave her a unique perspective on the mental aspects of high-performance driving.
EARLY SUCCESS
Cerruti’s breakthrough came in the Superstars Series, where she piloted a Mercedes C63 AMG to victory at Monza in 2011, announcing herself as a serious competitor in touring car racing. But she wasn’t content to stay in one category. She moved to GT racing and immediately made an impact, becoming the first woman to win in the history of the Italian GT Championship in 2012, driving a BMW Z4 at Mugello.
The UK automotive press took notice, naming her one of the most promising talents on the international scene. Her aggressive yet calculated driving style and her ability to extract performance from different types of machinery made her a sought-after driver for endurance racing programs. In 2013, after securing a podium at Mugello and a pole position in Spielberg, she proved she could lead from the front, winning at Imola while leading the overall standings without a professional driver as her co-pilot.
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
- 2011: Won Superstars Series race at Monza driving a Mercedes C63 AMG[1].
- 2012: First woman to win in Italian GT Championship history, driving BMW Z4 at Mugello[2].
- 2014: Scored historic maiden Auto GP win at Imola—the first open-wheel victory for a female racer in five years[3].
- 2014: Podium finish at Silverstone in Blancpain Endurance Series debut with BMW[4].
- 2015: Victory at VLN Nürburgring—becoming only the second woman to win a VLN race in 39 years, and the team’s first victory in nine years[5].
- 2015: Completed season with one victory and two absolute podiums at Nürburgring[6].
- 2014-2015: Competed in inaugural Formula E season with Trulli GP, completing four races before being replaced[7].
- 2022: Appointed Team Principal at Romeo Ferraris[8].
INSPIRATIONS
Her father’s influence loomed large, though not in the way one might expect. Aldo “Baronio” Cerruti had lived the racing life and understood both its thrills and its dangers. His decision to enroll Michela in that fateful safe driving course was protective, not promotional—but it inadvertently opened the door to her career. The fact that he trusted Mario Ferraris, who became an early mentor, created the foundation for everything that followed.
Beyond family, she drew inspiration from the challenge itself—the desire to prove that talent, not gender, determines success on track. Every time she became the “first woman” to achieve something, she quietly added another data point to that argument.
REPUTATION
Cerruti earned respect the hard way: by winning against men in competitive machinery across multiple disciplines. Her palmarès remains unique—she’s still the only woman to have secured victories in every major category she’s raced: touring cars, GT, and formula racing. That versatility speaks to raw talent and adaptability.
She was known for intelligent racecraft rather than reckless aggression. Her sixth-place finish at the grueling 24 Hours of Nürburgring, though she later expressed frustration at her luck throughout that campaign, demonstrated her endurance racing capabilities. Competitors took her seriously because she consistently delivered results, whether starting from pole position or fighting through the field.
After the tragic passing of her father Aldo in later years, the motorsport community rallied around the Cerruti family, reflecting the respect both father and daughter had earned within the paddock. Her transition from driver to Team Principal at Romeo Ferraris—where she had previously served as operations manager and tested the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR—showcased her deep technical knowledge and leadership abilities.
FUTURE GOALS/PLANS
Having stepped away from driving in 2017 to start a family, Cerruti’s racing ambitions now manifest through her leadership role at Romeo Ferraris. As Team Principal, she guides the team’s competition programs while balancing her work as a television commentator and media contributor. Her focus remains on developing competitive race programs and nurturing the next generation of racing talent—bringing the same analytical approach she once applied to her own driving career to the strategic demands of team management.
References:
[1] Michela Cerruti – Wikipedia
[2] About me | Michela Cerruti 88
[3] Michela Cerruti scores historic win at Imola – Motorsport.com
[4] Michela Cerruti – Autovolt Magazine
[5] Michela Cerruti la più forte donna pilota – Red Bull
[6] Michela Cerruti completa la stagione nel VLN al Nurburgring
[7] Meet the women who have been behind the wheel in Formula E
[8] The 2022 FIA ETCR season through the eyes of Michela Cerruti – Romeo Ferraris
[9] Motorsport Memorial – “Baronio”
[10] 5 minutes with Michela Cerruti – GT World Challenge
