Michael d'Orlando

ROAD TO INDY – COOPER TIRES USF2000 CHAMPIONSHIP

Age: 18
Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 158lbs

Michael d’Orlando is one of the United States’ top motorsports talents making his mark on the open wheel car racing scene around North America. After a nine year career in karting, working his way up to the world championship level, d’Orlando made his move into race cars in 2018.

The 18-year-old American from Hartsdale, NY began kart racing at the age of six ,at Oakland Valley Race Park in Cuddebackville, NY. He earned an extensive resume at the national and international level, including multiple championship titles. The culmination of his karting career was capped off as a factory team driver for the world-renowned Birel ART racing team based in Italy.

Michael transitioned from karts to cars, in a limited capacity, in 2018 when he competed in only four events of the Road to Indy Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship series. In 2019, he competed in only four events in the F4 United States Championship series. With such limited experience, he caught the attention of many, with two top-6 finishes in USF2000 and a podium at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX, in front of a packed stadium with fans for the United States Formula 1 Grand Prix.

For the 2020 season, which was drastically delayed and condensed due the COVID-19 pandemic, d’Orlando returned to the Road to Indy Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship series, for his first full season of car racing. Under the direction and support of Indianapolis-based Cape Motorsports race team, one of the most accredited race teams in the Road to Indy, the partnership resulted in five podium appearances, including his maiden victory in open-wheel car racing. This success earned him 4th place overall in the Drivers’ Championship, just slightly behind of the highly experienced top-3 competitors.

Michael d’Orlando is poised to return to the 2021 Road to Indy Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship series, with Cape Motorsports.

Career Highlights:

2x Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Grand Finals Team USA member
US Rotax Grand National Mini MAX
2x US Rotax Grand Nationals Vice-Champion
2x Florida Winter Tour Champion
Florida Winter Tour Vice-Champion
SuperKarts! USA Pro Tour Vice-Champion
2014 Nominated #1 cadet driver in North America by both Kart360.com and KartRank.com
Factory Team Driver for Birel ART racing team, Lissone, Italy
2017 Top-15 CIK FIA World Championships, Kristianstad, Sweden
2020 Road To Indy Fourth Overall Driver Championship (1 victory, 5 podium appearances)

FROM UPSIDE DOWN TO THE PODIUM GOES MICHAEL D'ORLANDO IN ST PETE
May 1, 2021

It was quite the scene in St Petersburg, FL last weekend with Michael d'Orlando in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship series of the Road to Indy, on the emotional rollercoaster that is motorsports. Looking to build on the solid results from the season opening event at Barber Motorsports Park, d'Orlando was met with some road blocks. Along the ride he found himself upside down but then followed it up with a spectacular recovery podium finish, all in a single day. It was an awesome display of perseverance, dedication, faith and confidence - the true traits of a race car driver.

SOLID START FOR MICHAEL D'ORLANDO AT BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK
April 21, 2021

The 2021 Road to Indy season kicked off this weekend at the breathtaking scene of Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL. Starting off his second full season in the Cooper Tires USF2000 class, Michael d'Orlando brought home a pair of top-10 finishes to shift the championship points tally into gear.

The three day event began on Thursday with an official day of practice, which began with a curve ball. An unfortunate logistics issue for tire availability forced the entire Road to Indy paddock scrambling to change strategies at the last minute for each of the three practice sessions, which ultimately set up the plan for the weekend.