Kokoro Sato

Kokoro Sato
NationalityJapan Japanese
Born (2008-04-03) 3 April 2008 (age 18)

Kokoro Sato (佐藤 こころ, Satō Kokoro; born 4 March 2008) is a Japanese racing driver who competes in Kyojo Cup for Team Optimus Cerumo・Inging.

Career

Karting (2013–2023)

Sato began karting in 2013. Starting out in micro karts, Sato won the 2015 SL Takarazuka Series in the Kids class, before clinching the SL Kobe Series title in Micro Max the following year. Sato then moved to cadet karts, most notably winning the SL Ikoma title in 2018, as well as finishing runner-up in the JAF-sanctioned Junior Kart West Region Championship in 2019. Moving to junior karts in 2020, Sato became the first female to win a race in the All-Japan Junior Karting Championship as she finished third in the West Region standings, before securing runner-up honours the following year. In her final two years in karting, Sato raced in the FP-3 category in 2022, before most notably taking fifth in the FS-125 JAF standings of the All-Japan Karting Championship the following year.

Kyojo Cup and endurance debut (2024–present)

In 2024, Sato made her Kyojo Cup debut as a Privateer at the age of 16, taking a best result of 17th twice. With the series moving on from the Vita-01 to field the KC-MG01 F4 car for 2025, Sato continued in the series, joining series newcomers Cerumo・INGING alongside Riona Tomishita. Starting off the season with her maiden series podium in the round one's feature race, Sato then finished no lower than sixth in the remaining four rounds, as she took her only other podium of the season in round four, en route to a fourth-place points finish.

At the start of 2026, Sato made her endurance racing debut at the Dubai 24 Hour for Rookie Racing in the TCX class alongside Miki Onaga, Rio Shimono, Aimi Saito and Rami Sasaki. For the rest of the year, Saito returned to Cerumo・INGING for her third campaign in Kyojo Cup.

Karting record

Karting career summary

Season Series Team Position
2013 SL Takarazuka Series – Kids Freshman
2014 SL Kobe Series – Kids 2nd
SL Takarazuka Series – Kids 4th
2015 Kids & Junior Kart Race National Championship Team Nagao 2nd
SL Kobe Series – Kids RTK Orange Juice with Nagao 2nd
SL Ikoma Series – Kids 4th
SL Takarazuka Series – Kids 1st
2016 SL Kobe Series – Micro Max Team Nagao 1st
RMC Japan Final – Micro Max 4th
2017 SL Kobe Series – Cadet Open Team Nagao 6th
2018 SL Kobe Series – Cadet Open 3rd
SL Ikoma Series – Cadet Open 1st
All-Japan Junior Karting Championship – FP-Jr Cadets Team Nagao 21st
Junior Kart West Region Championship – FP-Jr Cadets 10th
2019 All-Japan Junior Karting Championship – FP-Jr Cadets Energy Japan 5th
Junior Kart West Region Championship – FP-Jr Cadets 2nd
SL Kobe Series – Cadet Open 2nd
SL Biwako Series – Cadet Open Team Nagao 9th
Toyopet SL Kart Meeting – Cadet Open DNS
2020 All-Japan Junior Karting Championship – FP-Jr Team Nagao 9th
Junior Kart West Region Championship – FP-Jr 3rd
SL Kobe Series – SS 3rd
2021 All-Japan Karting Championship – FP-Jr Team Nagao 6th
All-Japan Karting West Region Championship – FP-Jr 2nd
Kart Race in Suzuka – Yamaha SS 21st
2022 All-Japan Karting Championship – FP-3 Team Nagao 14th
All-Japan Karting West Region Championship – FP-3 5th
2023 All-Japan Karting Championship – FS-125 JAF Team Nagao 5th
Sources:

Racing record

Racing career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2024 Kyojo Cup Kokoro Sato 6 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2025 Kyojo Cup Optimus Cerumo・INGING 10 0 0 0 2 57 4th
2025–26 24H Series Middle East – TCX Toyota Gazoo Rookie Racing 1 0 0 0 1 54 NC
2026 Kyojo Cup Team Optimus Cerumo・INGING 4 0 0 0 3 28* 5th*
Sources:

Complete Kyojo Cup results

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

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos Points
2024 Privateer FUJ1
17
FUJ2
1

23
FUJ2
2

Ret
FUJ3
20
FUJ4
17
NC
1

8
NC
2

9
FUJ5
22
NC 0
2025 Optimus Cerumo・INGING FUJ1
SPR

4
FUJ1
FIN

3
FUJ2
SPR

4
FUJ2
FIN

6
FUJ3
SPR

6
FUJ3
FIN

5
FUJ4
SPR

3
FUJ4
FIN

5
FUJ5
SPR

5
FUJ5
FIN

5
4th 57
2026 Team Optimus Cerumo・INGING FUJ1
SPR

3
FUJ1
FIN

6
FUJ2
SPR

3
FUJ2
FIN

3
FUJ3
SPR

FUJ3
FIN

FUJ4
SPR

FUJ4
FIN

FUJ5
SPR

FUJ5
FIN

5th* 28*

References

  1. ↑ "女子高生レーシングドライバー、スポアリに現る!!". 835.jp (in Japanese). 13 January 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "2015年 神戸スポーツサーキット SLシリーズ ポイントランキング" (PDF). kobesc.com (in Japanese). 1 November 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  3. ↑ "2016年 神戸スポーツサーキット SLシリーズ ポイントランキング 第8戦終了時点" (PDF). kobesc.com (in Japanese). 1 November 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 "佐藤こころ KOKORO SATO". drivingathlete.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "ポール・トゥ・ウィンで森岡泉美がFP-3部門初優勝!!". motorsports.jaf.or.jp (in Japanese). 18 September 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "佐藤こころ選手がジュニア選手権で女性初の快挙!". motorsports.jaf.or.jp (in Japanese). 25 August 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "2021全日本/ジュニアカート選手権のチャンピオン争い OKは実質TONYワークスの一騎打ちへ". paddock-gate.com (in Japanese). 25 October 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "フォーミュラ大好き最年少、クールな現役高校生の夢はSF参戦【KYOJOインタビューVol.6/佐藤こころ】". as-web.jp (in Japanese). 20 May 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "全日本カート西地域FP-3部門は緊迫の展開。岩下桂都選手が全日本デビューウィン!". motorsports.jaf.or.jp (in Japanese). 11 May 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "全日本/ジュニアカート選手権が神戸で開幕。FS-125JAF部門を始め、各部門で2レースずつの熱闘が繰り広げられた!". motorsports.jaf.or.jp (in Japanese). 17 April 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "KYOJO CUPに挑んだ現役高校生「佐藤こころ」選手にインタビュー!". caranddriver.co.jp (in Japanese). 21 May 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  12. ↑ "KYOJO CUP 2024 第4戦|台風接近からスタートした女子レーサーたちの熱気あふれる戦い|2024年8月18日(日)リポート". nosweb.jp (in Japanese). 29 August 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "KYOJO CUP 2024 開幕戦|チーム数も一気に増え、参加ドライバーは28人!|2024年5月12日リポート". nosweb.jp (in Japanese). 17 May 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "真夏の富士を戦かった16歳「佐藤こころ」選手KYOJO CUP Rd.2、Rd.3密着レポートその1". caranddriver.co.jp (in Japanese). 7 August 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  15. ↑ Intan, Maiya (9 May 2025). "Kyojo Cup: 2025 season guide". feederseries.net. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "下野璃央がスプリントに続き圧勝「練習通り全開で走っただけ」完全制覇【KYOJOカップ開幕大会】". chunichi.co.jp (in Japanese). 11 May 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  17. ↑ Sekine, Junichi (13 November 2025). "第5戦富士スプリント SCラン明けも盤石の下野璃央が優勝". fmotor.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  18. ↑ "下野璃央、独走Vで初女王に大手 翁長実希は2位、佐藤こころ3位【KYOJO CUP第4大会スプリント】". chunichi.co.jp (in Japanese). 11 October 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  19. ↑ Sekine, Junichi (13 November 2025). "第5戦冨士ファイナル チャンピオン下野璃央がポール・ツー・ウインで完全制圧". fmotor.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  20. ↑ "杜拜24小時賽公佈參賽名單 包括全香港車手陣容". lightsout.cc (in Chinese). 2 January 2026. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  21. ↑ Bremner, Anabelle (7 May 2025). "Kyojo Cup: 2026 season guide". feederseries.net. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "TOYOTA GAZOO RacingがKYOJO CUPの支援チームとドライバーを発表。ラインアップ継続で連覇狙う". as-web.jp (in Japanese). 19 December 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "Micro MAX" (PDF). eikoms.com. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "2019 ジュニアカート選手権 FP-Jr Cadetsクラス 東西統一" (PDF). kart.jp. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  25. ↑ "2019 TOYOPET SL琵琶湖シリーズ ポイントランキング" (PDF). biwako-sportland.com. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  26. ↑ "2020 ジュニアカート選手権 FP-Jrクラス 東西統一" (PDF). kart.jp. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  27. ↑ "2021 ジュニアカート選手権 FP-Jrクラス 東西統一" (PDF). kart.jp. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  28. ↑ "2023 全日本カート選手権 FS-125JAF部門 ポイントランキング" (PDF). kart.jp. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  29. ↑ "2021 鈴鹿選手権シリーズ カートレース IN SUZUKA" (PDF). suzukacircuit.jp. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  30. ↑ "Kokoro Sato | Racing career profile | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 15 July 2026.