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Michela Cerruti is an Italian racing driver who made history as one of the few women to win in both open-wheel and touring car competitions before transitioning into a leadership role as team principal at Romeo Ferraris.

EARLY YEARS

Born on February 18, 1987, in Rome, Michela Cerruti grew up with racing fuel in her veins—her father was Aldo “Baronio” Cerruti, a successful racing driver himself. But before she ever thought about four wheels, she was all about two planks: she skied competitively as a child, showing an early talent for speed and sport. She wasn’t just athletically inclined, either. Cerruti excelled academically and attended the prestigious Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, where she earned a degree in psychology. So yes, she can read a racing line and maybe your mind.

Her racing career didn’t begin in karting like so many drivers. Instead, it started with a concerned father who wanted his speed-loving daughter to learn how to drive safely. In 2006, Aldo enrolled Michela in a safe driving course taught by Mario Ferraris, son of the legendary Romeo Ferraris. Ferraris quickly realized this wasn’t just another student—Michela had the reflexes, the nerve, and the natural ability. What began as a safety measure turned into the launch of a serious racing career.

OTHER INTERESTS

Beyond the cockpit, Cerruti has always been drawn to sports, reading, and travel. Her psychology degree hints at a mind that’s as interested in understanding people as it is in outpacing them on track. It’s a combination that likely served her well in the often male-dominated paddocks she navigated throughout her career—and later, as a team principal managing drivers, engineers, and sponsors.

EARLY SUCCESS

Cerruti made her racing debut in 2008 in the Italian Touring Endurance Championship, getting her feet wet in competitive motorsport. By 2009, she was developing and racing a specially built Fiat 500 Abarth 24h Special—affectionately nicknamed the “Cincone”—which was designed and constructed in-house at Romeo Ferraris. She finished 10th in the Italian Touring Endurance Championship that year, proving she could hold her own.

In 2010, she stepped up significantly, running a dual program with Romeo Ferraris in both the Superstars Series and the Italian GT Championship. In the Superstars Series—a high-profile touring car championship featuring powerful sedans and coupes—Cerruti became a revelation. At the opening round at Monza in April 2011, she won the second race, becoming the first woman ever to win in the Superstars Series. It was dramatic, it was historic, and it put her name on the map.

She continued to rack up podiums and victories. In 2012, racing a BMW Z4 in the Italian GT Championship at Mugello, she became the first woman to win in the history of that championship. The UK magazine Autosport took notice, naming her one of the rising stars to watch. She was carving out a reputation not as a “female racer,” but as a racer, period—one who could win.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2011: First woman to win a race in the Superstars Series, taking victory in Race 2 at Monza[1].
• 2012: First woman to win in the history of the Italian GT Championship, driving a BMW Z4 at Mugello[2].
• 2013: Scored a pole position at Spielberg and won at Imola in the Italian GT Championship, racing solo in the third-to-last race of the season[3].
• 2013: Competed in the Blancpain Endurance Series, finishing 7th at Silverstone[4].
• 2014: Took a historic maiden Auto GP win at Imola, becoming the first woman to win an open-wheel race in five years[5].
• 2014: Finished 6th overall in the Auto GP Series with one win[6].
• 2014–2015: Competed in the inaugural FIA Formula E Championship season with Trulli Formula E Team, making her one of only three women to race in the series[7].
• 2015: Finished 6th in the Nürburgring 24 Hours in the SP9 GT3 class, driving a BMW Z4 GT3[8].
• 2015: Scored two wins in the German VLN Endurance Championship with BMW[9].
• 2016–2017: Competed in the TCR International Series and TCR Middle East Series driving an Alfa Romeo Giulietta[10].
• 2022: Appointed as team principal at Romeo Ferraris for the FIA ETCR eTouring Car World Cup[11].

INSPIRATIONS

Cerruti’s biggest inspiration was undoubtedly her father, Aldo “Baronio” Cerruti, whose own racing career influenced her from a young age. His decision to introduce her to motorsport through a safe driving course with Mario Ferraris was the catalyst for everything that followed. Though Aldo sadly passed away, his legacy lives on through Michela’s continued involvement in the sport and her work with Romeo Ferraris, the team closely tied to her family’s racing history.

REPUTATION

Cerruti built a reputation as a fast, fearless, and strategic driver who could compete—and win—against male rivals in multiple disciplines. Her historic victories in the Superstars Series and Italian GT Championship weren’t novelty wins; they were earned through skill, racecraft, and sheer determination. She wasn’t there to make headlines for being a woman in racing—she made headlines for being good at racing.

Her brief stint in Formula E showcased her willingness to take on new challenges, even in an unproven, cutting-edge series. And while her time in the electric single-seaters was short, her adaptability across formats—from endurance racing at the Nürburgring to sprint races in TCR to open-wheel competition—demonstrated her versatility. When she retired from driving in 2017 to start a family, it wasn’t the end of her racing story. Her appointment as team principal at Romeo Ferraris in 2022 proved she had more to give to the sport, this time from the pit wall.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

As of 2022, Cerruti has been leading Romeo Ferraris as team principal in the FIA ETCR eTouring Car World Cup, steering the team through the challenges of electric touring car racing. While specific plans beyond her current role aren’t publicly detailed, her continued involvement in high-level motorsport management suggests she’s committed to shaping the future of the sport—particularly in the rapidly evolving world of electric racing.

REFERENCES

[1] Michela Cerruti Claims Race 2 Win At Monza – The Checkered Flag
[2] About me | Michela Cerruti 88
[3] About me | Michela Cerruti 88
[4] In Round 2 of 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series – Michela Cerruti
[5] Michela Cerruti scores historic win at Imola – Motorsport.com
[6] Michela Cerruti – TCR International Series
[7] Michela Cerruti | Formula E Wiki – Fandom
[8] Michela Cerruti – TCR International Series
[9] Michela Cerruti – TCR International Series
[10] Michela Cerruti – TCR International Series
[11] Romeo Ferraris confirms 2022 FIA ETCR entry – Touring Car Times
Michela Cerruti – Wikipedia
Driver Portrait – Michela Cerruti
Women in Motorsport meet Michela Cerruti
Michela Cerruti – SnapLap
Meet the women who have been behind the wheel in Formula E
The 2022 FIA ETCR season through the eyes of Michela Cerruti
Former racing driver Aldo Cerruti passed away – TCR World Ranking
Team | Romeo Ferraris