Michela Cerruti

Michela Cerruti is an Italian racing driver who competed in different disciplines in recent years, including GT racing, touring car racing, stock car racing and single-seaters.

Most recently, she served as a development driver for Romeo Ferraris and Alfa Romeo, taking part in selected events of the TCR International Series with the Italian manufacturer.

Michela Cerruti

A daughter of a successful racing driver

Born in February 1987 in Rome, in a family of a successful racing driver Aldo 'Baronio' Cerruti, Michela started her racing career in 2008. She first attended a safe driving course with Mario Ferraris and then Ferraris became her co-driver in the Italian Touring Endurance Championship (CITE).

They were sharing an Alfa Romeo 147, finishing third in class standing. Cerruti stayed for one more season in CITE competitions, driving a Fiat 500 Abarth.

Michela's pink Mercedes in the Superstars Series

Double programme with Romeo Ferraris team in 2010

In 2010, Cerruti had a double programme with Romeo Ferraris team, driving a Ferrari 430 Challenge in the Italian GT Championship and Mercedes C63 AMG in the Superstars International Series. Her partners in the GT Championship were Francesca Linossi (four rounds) and Mario Ferraris (three). She scored two podiums and finished 10th in GT Cup standings.

In the Superstars Series, Cerruti scored one single point to finish 30th in the final standings. She stayed for one more season in the Superstars Series, winning one race in a Mercedes, in the opening round at Monza, to finish ninth in the points.

Celebrating a victory at Mugello in 2012

Formula 3 and GT programme in 2012

In 2012, Cerruti had a double programme again but, this time, she competed in single-seater championships and GT races. She entered New Zealand's Toyota Racing Series, European F3 Open and ATS Formel 3 Cup, not scoring any notable results.

In GT racing, Cerruti spent a season with ROAL Motorsport's BMW Z4 GT3 in the Italian GT Championship, sharing a car with Edoardo Liberati. They won a race at Mugello and finished seventh in the points at the end of the season. In July 2012, Cerruti made a debut at Spa 24 Hours, sharing the #29 ROAL Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3 with Edoardo Liberati, Stefano Colombo and Tom Coronel. They didn't finish the race.

Michela celebrates Auto GP race victory at Imola

Combining open-wheel and GT racing in 2013 and 2014

One more year of double F3-GT programme followed in 2013. Driving a BMW Z4 GT3 for ROAL Motorsport, Cerruti finished 8th in the Italian GT Championship and 9th in the Blancpain Endurance Series. She recorded one more DNF at Spa 24 Hours.

In single-seater competitions, Cerruti participated in three rounds of the FIA Formula E European Championship, driving a Dallara-Mercedes for Romeo Ferraris. She also entered two rounds of the Auto GP Series with MLR 71 team.

In 2014, she spent a full season in the Auto GP Series with Super Nova International, scoring one victory at Imola and two more podiums to finish sixth in the points. She also rejoined ROAL Motorsport in three rounds of the Blancpain Endurance Series but without notable results.

Cerruti participated in four Formula E races with Trulli GP team

Four starts in the inaugural Formula E season

In 2014, Cerruti has been invited by former F1 driver Jarno Trulli to drive for his team in the inaugural season of the Formula E Championship. She participated in four ePrix events between September 2014 and January 2015, at Peking, Putrajaya, Punta del Este and Buenos Aires.

Cerruti's best result was the twelfth place in the third round at Punta del Este, Uruguay. After four rounds, she was replaced by Vitantonio Liuzzi.

Michela Cerruti in 2015

Five different competitions in 2015

After leaving Trulli GP team early in 2015, Cerruti spent a season in five different competitions. For most of the season, she competed with Walkenhorst Motorsport in the VLN endurance series at Nurburgring Nordschleife, driving a BMW Z4 GT3 and winning two races. She also made a debut at Nurburgring 24 Hours with Walkenhorst Motorsport, finishing in the sixth place.

Cerruti's other occasional racing commitments in 2015 were in the Italian GT Championship (ROAL Motorsport, BMW Z4 GT3), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (Double T by DAV Racing, Chevrolet Camaro), Renault Sport Trophy (Monlau Competicion, Renault RS01) and TCR International Series (Target Competition, Seat Leon Cup Racer).

Michela Cerruti in 2016

Racing with Alfa Romeo in the TCR International Series

During 2015, Cerruti joined Romeo Ferraris in a development of a new race car, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR, and raced with that car in the 2016 TCR International Series under the Mulsanne Racing banner. In the 11-event season, she participated in five rounds with #88 Alfa Romeo, scoring points two times at Salzburgring and Oschersleben.

In summer 2016, Cerruti joined Antonelli Motorsport in two races of the Blancpain Endurance Series, including Spa 24 Hours, driving a Lamborghini Huracan GT3.

In 2017, she had just one guest-appearance in the TCR International Series, driving for Alfa Romeo customer team GE-Force at Bahrain International Circuit. She also appeared in one round of the TCR Middle East Series in an Alfa.

Michela Cerruti is a versatile racing driver

Photos: Michela Cerruti,