Marino Sato
Marino Sato
RACING IN: WEC /ELMS - LMP2
Biography
Marino Sato is a Japanese racing driver who took the title of European Le Mans Series LMP2 Pro Vice-Champion on his debut season in sportscars, and is now racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with McLaren Automotive and United Autosports.
Key Stats
Nationality
Japanese
Hometown
Yokohama, Japan
DOB
12th May
Favourite circuit
Imola
Racing career
Marino’s passion for motorsport was sparked by his father, an avid Formula 1 fan and amateur motorcyclist. During a track day with friends, Mr Sato spotted a go-kart track and soon enough five-year old Marino was in the drivers’ seat.
Fast forward to 2011 and Marino – now a teenager – was competing on the international karting stage, from Asia to Europe and beyond. In 2015, he made the move into single seaters, contesting the Italian F4 Championship for two seasons, and taking his first single seater win at Imola 2016 – a doubly poignant victory for the young racer who, with a name inspired by the nearby republic of San Marino, had always felt an affinity with Italy.
In 2017, Marino stepped up to the FIA Formula 3 European Championship, contesting two seasons (2017 and 2018) before taking on the Euroformula Open Championship in 2019 alongside friend and future F1 driver Yuki Tsunoda.
Marino took 9 wins, 6 pole positions and 5 fastest laps out of 18 races in EuroFormula- and secured the Drivers’ Championship with three races to go.
Next, Formula 2 came calling – with Marino contesting four seasons in the FIA championship (2019 – 2022). During this time, he was selected for a Formula 1 Young Driver Test, driving with Alpha Tauri at the end of the 2020 season at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
In 2023, Marino Sato took on the new challenge of prototypes and endurance, racing with United Autosports in the European Le Mans Series. Marino and co-drivers Olly Jarvis and Phil Hanson won 50% of races and finished the season as LMP2 Pro vice-champions (read more).
In 2024, Marino is returning to the European Le Mans Series in pursuit of the overall title, with Ben Hanley and Filip Ugran - alongside his debut season in the FIA World Endurance Championship, racing the #95 LMGT3 entry with McLaren Automotive and United Autosports (read more).
Marino did a fantastic job - it was a great first endurance weekend for him.
oliver jarvis
Career Highlights
// Winning his first Italian Formula 4 race at Imola in 2016
// Taking victory in the 2019 Euroformula Open Championship
// Securing a place on the AlphaTauri F1 Young Driver Test in 2020
EUROPEAN LE MANS SERIES
The 2023 European Le Mans Series marked Marino Sato’s debut LMP2 season, racing six rounds in the United Autosports #22 ORECA 07. Together with two experienced sportscar co-drivers – 2020 European Le Mans Series champion and Le Mans winner Phil Hanson, and former factory driver and Le Mans winner Oliver Jarvis - Marino celebrated victory in the 4 Hours of Aragon, 4 Hours of Algarve and 4 Hours of Portimao, and finished the season as LMP2 Pro vice-champion.
I would like to thank everyone in the team for their trust, and everyeone around me for making this happen.
MARINO SATO
FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP
In 2024, Marino Sato is racing the #95 McLaren GT3 Evo with McLaren Automotive and racing partner United Autosports. The newly-extended eight-round series started in Qatar in March 2024, and will visit circuits across the globe from Brazil to Italy and Japan.
In June, Marino Sato will take on his first Le Mans 24 Hour race as part of his WEC season, as McLaren makes its highly-anticipated return to the infamous endurance race almost three decades after their 1995 victory.
personal life
As well as motorsport, music is a big passion for Marino – in particular, Japanese rock. He takes his favourite speakers around the world with him, is never caught without a pair of headphones (or two), and always tunes in to his favourite sounds before a race.
