Michael Sauter (born 5 October 2004) is a German-Swiss racing driver of Japanese descent. He became the 2024 champion of the Formula Regional Japanese Championship.
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.
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. In the final race of the second round at Circuit Zandvoort, Sauter scored his only rookie win of the season. 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.
In 2022, Sauter remained in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship. He finished the championship in thirteenth overall.
In 2023, Sauter 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. He also finished third overall in the 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 took his first victory in the championship, having started from pole in the final race.
After joining the G Force Driver Development Program, Sauter returned to the Formula Regional Japanese Championship in 2024, driving for Birth Racing Project. Sauter won the championship, having claimed six race victories and four further podiums during the season.
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Season still in progress.
() (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
() (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
() (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)