Michael Sauter Explained

Michael Sauter
Starts:35 (36 entries)
Year:2022
Best Finish:13th
Fastest Laps:0
Poles:0
Podiums:0
Wins:0
Car Number:21
Current Team:Sauter Engineering + Design
First Year:2021
Current Series:ADAC F4 Championship
Birth Place:Gempen, Switzerland
Birth Date:5 October 2004
Nationality: Swiss
German
via double nationality

Michael Sauter (born 5 October 2004) is a German-Swiss racing driver of Japanese descent currently racing in the Formula Regional Japanese Championship for Birth Racing Project.[1]

Career

Karting

Coming from a family with a racing background, Sauter started karting at the age of seven and began to compete in the Swiss Championship in 2013. He raced in go-karts until the end of 2020, winning the Vega Trofeo in 2014 and 2016 respectively, missing out on the chance of the 2015 title due to a ski accident.[2]

Lower formulae

In 2021, after some Formula 4 testing at Anneau du Rhin, Sauter made his car racing debut, competing in a family effort with the Sauter Engineering + Design team, named after his father's company, in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship.[3] [4] [5] In the final race of the second round at Circuit Zandvoort he score his only rookie win of the season.[6] He scored his first point in round three at the Hockenheimring, however a crash in qualifying at the next event at the Sachsenring meant extensive damage to his car, which could only be repaired in time for the second race with the help of other teams' mechanics. In the final race of the event he went on to take his best finish of the season in fifth. Saute became vice-champion in the rookie classification.[7]

In 2022 he remained in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship.[8] [9] He finished the championship in thirteenth overall.

In 2023 he moved to the Formula 4 CEZ Championship after the ADAC Formula 4 had folded. He took his first and only race win in the final round at the newly opened Balaton Park Circuit.[10] He also finished third overall in the championship.

Formula Regional Japanese Championship

In 2023 Sauter also competed in two rounds of the Formula Regional Japanese Championship with Sutekina Racing Team and Bionic Jack Racing. In the final round at Sportsland Sugo, where he competed with Bionic Jack Racing, he even took his first victory in the championship.[11]

After he joined the G Force Driver Development Program in 2024, he returned to the Formula Regional Japanese Championship, driving for Birth Racing Project.[12]

Karting record

Karting career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamPosition
2013Schweizer Kart Meisterschaft — MiniSauter Team4th
2014Vega Trofeo — Super Mini1st
Schweizer Kart Meisterschaft — Super Mini15th
2015Vega Trofeo — Super Mini9th
2016Vega Trofeo — Super Mini1st
Schweizer Kart Meisterschaft — Super Mini7th
2017Vega Trofeo — Super Mini2nd
Schweizer Kart Meisterschaft — Super Mini2nd
IAME International Final — X30 Mini5th
2018Vega Trofeo — Junior4th
Schweizer Kart Meisterschaft — X30 Junior4th
IAME International Final — X30 Junior101st
2019Schweizer Kart Meisterschaft — X30 Challenge7th
IAME International Final — X30 Senior131st

Racing record

Racing career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2021ADAC Formula 4 ChampionshipSauter Engineering + Design1700001915th
2022ADAC Formula 4 ChampionshipSauter Engineering + Design1800004113th
2023Formula 4 CEZ ChampionshipSauter Engineering + Design1411592043rd
Formula Regional Japanese ChampionshipSutekina Racing Team30000716th
Bionic Jack Racing31221
2024Formula Regional Japanese ChampionshipBirth Racing Project【BRP】14658102361st
* Season still in progress.

Complete ADAC Formula 4 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeam123456789101112131415161718PosPoints
2021nowrapSauter Engineering + DesignRBR
1

RBR
2

RBR
3

ZAN
1

ZAN
2

ZAN
3

HOC1
1

HOC1
2

HOC1
3

SAC
1

SAC
2

SAC
3

HOC2
1

HOC2
2

HOC2
3

NÜR
1

NÜR
2

NÜR
3

15th19
2022nowrapSauter Engineering + DesignSPA
1

SPA
2

SPA
3

HOC
1

HOC
2

HOC
3

ZAN
1

ZAN
2

ZAN
3

NÜR1
1

NÜR1
2

NÜR1
3

LAU
1

LAU
2

LAU
3

NÜR2
1

NÜR2
2

NÜR2
3

13th41

Complete Formula 4 CEZ Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete Formula Regional Japanese Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrant12345678910111213141516PosPoints
2023nowrapSutekina Racing TeamFUJ1
1
FUJ1
2
FUJ1
3
SUZ
1
SUZ
2
OKA
1
OKA
2
OKA
3
MOT
1

MOT
2

MOT
3

FUJ2
1
FUJ2
2
6th71
nowrapBionic Jack RacingSUG
1

SUG
2

SUG
3

2024nowrapBirth Racing Project 【BRP】SUZ
1

SUZ
2

SUZ
3

SUG
1

SUG
2

OKA
1

OKA
2

OKA
3

MOT
1

MOT
2

FUJ1
1

FUJ1
2

FUJ2
1

FUJ2
2

1st236

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wood . Ida . 2024-02-14 . New driver development programme sends F4 and FFord stars to FRJC . 2024-04-26 . Formula Scout . en-US.
  2. Web site: MICHAEL SAUTER . 2022-04-14 . www.michael-sauter.com . en.
  3. Web site: 20 April 2021 . Talent factory enters its seventh season . ADAC Motorsport.
  4. Web site: Wood . Ida . 2021-04-20 . Bearman tops ADAC F4 test at Oschersleben, new team joins grid . 2024-04-26 . Formula Scout . en-US.
  5. Web site: Gascoigne . Roger . 2022-01-03 . How a Swiss father-and-son team took on giants in F4 . 2024-04-26 . Formula Scout . en-US.
  6. Web site: The Sauter family powers into season two of ADAC Formula 4 ADAC Formel 4 . 2024-04-26 . www.adac-motorsport.de . en.
  7. Web site: Another new name in F4: Michael Sauter – ESET Cup Series . 2024-04-26 . en-US.
  8. Web site: Mit Familien-Power in die zweite Saison ADAC Formel 4 . 2022-04-14 . www.adac-motorsport.de . de.
  9. Web site: Wood . Ida . 2022-04-12 . US Racing expands Italian F4 line-up with Alex Dunne . 2024-04-26 . Formula Scout . en-US.
  10. Web site: Gascoigne . Roger . 2023-10-08 . Ischer clinches F4 CEZ title in dramatic finale at Balaton Park . 2024-04-26 . Formula Scout . en-US.
  11. Web site: Wood . Ida . 2023-11-26 . Ogawa becomes FRegional Japan champion as Okuzumi wins at Sugo . 2024-04-26 . Formula Scout . en-US.
  12. Web site: Formula Regional Japanese Championship . 2024-04-26 . frj.jp.