Liam Sceats rounded out his 2023 Formula Regional Japanese Championship campaign with two podiums and a fifth place in the final round at Sportsland Sugo last weekend, finishing second overall in the standings and as the best rookie driver.
Despite sitting more than 60 points down on eventual title-winner Soto Ogawa mid-season, the Auckland-based teenaged reduced the gap to take the championship fight to the final race of the season.
“Qualifying let us down from scoring potentially a win or two this weekend,” he said. “The top six in the first two races were all consistently lapping within a couple of tenths of each other, and the Sugo was a track where it was hard to pass due to the aero wash, so these factors made qualifying really important.”
Sceats went on the finish as runner-up in the opening race, third in the second and fifth in the finale, bringing his season podium tally to eight, with three of those being wins.
“I am lucky to have been able to do a full season’s worth of racing after CTFROC ended because I wanted to focus and finish my studies at school, so the opportunity to race in Japan this year was unexpected but could not have been any better for my circumstances.
“I look back at the rounds over the course of this year and can only be proud of our efforts as a team.
“Thank you to Mark Pilcher and Steve Horne from M2 Competition Management for overseeing and supporting the project right from the start and as it has gone on throughout the year.
“This endeavor was all made possible because of my partners: New Sports Pacific Management, Giltrap Group, Omega Rental Cars Ltd and M2 Competition Management.
“I can’t wait to come into the 2024 CTFROC as a more complete driver, with a lot more experience and my skills and knowledge a lot sharper than before.”
Sceats now returns to New Zealand to prepare for the upcoming Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship, which he finished fourth in at the start of 2023.
He is competing in the championship with the support of a $70,000 grant he claimed by winning the 2023 Tony Quinn Foundation Shootout at Hampton Downs.
The final race of 2023 is done, and 2024 preparation starts now!” he adds.
Images: Supplied
