Team Motopark has signed their second rookie for the 2017 European Formula 3 championship, with Japanese racer Marino Sato making his F3 debut with the team.
Sato will make the step up from the Italian F4 after two years racing in the championship and will work alongside 2016 rookie champion Joel Eriksson and fellow rookie Keyvan Andres Soori.
The two seasons in F4 have been mixed for the Japanese racer. In 2015, he finished 10th in the championship and tested with Motopark for the first time. Though the team boss Timo Rumpfkeil said he was impressed with the test, Sato continued in the F4 championship for a second season.
2016 wasn’t quite as successful, Sato finishing 18th in the championship, though he did take a race win at Imola.
Sato is expecting a challenge as he makes the step up to the international championship. Whilst team-mate Soori is aiming for the rookie championship in his debut year, Sato has said he isn’t rushing to take the top results, preferring to spend the year learning.
“Doing well in the FIA F3 European Championship means that you can jump up to Formula One, but it also signifies that it is a very challenging championship,” he said. “I am going to be a rookie so I know that it’s not going to be an easy task. Instead of rushing to get results, I would like to steadily gain experience and make it a positive season for my future.”
Even so, Motopark have hopes of strong results from the 17-year-old after promising test sessions.
