Liam Sceats Explained

Liam Sceats
Nationality: New Zealander
Birth Date:20 September 2005
Birth Place:Auckland, New Zealand[1]
Current Series:USF Pro 2000 Championship
First Year:2024
Current Team:TJ Speed Motorsports
Car Number:26
Starts:14 (14 entries)
Wins:1
Podiums:4
Poles:0
Fastest Laps:0
Best Finish:TBD
Year:2024
Prev Series:Formula Regional Japanese Championship
Formula Ford Manfeild Winter Series
NZ Formula Ford Championships
Formula Ford New Zealand South Island Series
North Island Formula Ford Series
Prev Series Years:2023

2021–22

2021–22
2021-22

2020-21, 2021-22

Liam Sceats (born 20 September 2005) is a racing driver from New Zealand who is currently competing in the 2024 USF Pro 2000 Championship for TJ Speed Motorsports.[2] [3]

Career

Formula Regional Japanese Championship

2023

Sceats would join the 2023 Formula Regional Japanese Championship driving for Sutekina Racing Team. He would get his first win in the third round of the championship at Okayama International Circuit, and became the first foreign race winner in championship history.[4] Sceats would be in championship contention all season with Sota Ogawa. Sceats would get two more wins at Twin Ring Motegi and Fuji Speedway before the final round of the season at Sugo.[5] [6] In the second race at Fuji, championship leader Ogawa would go off during the race and ultimately have to retire. This promoted Sceats to first and allowed him to win the race. Ogawa's championship lead reduced to just 28 points going into the final round. At the final round at Sugo, Ogawa had done enough to take the title ahead of Sceats.[7] Sceats would finished second in the standings.

Formula Regional Oceania Championship

2023

On December 29, 2022, it was announced that Sceats would compete in the 2023 Formula Regional Oceania Championship with M2 Competition.[8] He would get his first podium of the series at Highlands Motorsport Park. Sceats would finish fourth in the standings with three podiums.

2024

In 2024, Sceats would return to the championship, once again driving for M2 Competition.[9] He would qualify on pole for the third race at Euromarque Motorsport Park and go on to get his first win in the series.

At the final round at Highlands Motorsport Park, Sceats qualified on pole for race one, while championship leader Roman Bilinski crashed during qualifying.[10] Sceats also qualified on pole for the New Zealand Grand Prix (race 3). He would have a commanding performance in race one and proceeded to win the race. Sceats managed to keep the championship alive with this result. During race two, championship rival Bilinski had climbed all the way up to second. Bilinski would fight with Bryce Aron for the top spot, but only briefly, as Bilinski's pace faded and was passed by Patrick Woods-Toth. However, this was enough for Bilinski to take the title. In the New Zealand Grand Prix, Sceats would battle with Callum Hedge for the win. Hedge kept putting pressure on Sceats, but Sceats would ultimately hold him off and win his home race.[11] [12] Sceats would ultimately finish second in the championship to Bilinski.

USF Pro 2000 Championship

2024

For 2024, Sceats would make the move to America and compete in the 2024 USF Pro 2000 Championship with TJ Speed Motorsports. In the second race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he would finish second to Nikita Johnson.[13] However, Johnson was disqualified after the race which promoted Sceats to first.

Karting record

Karting career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamPosition
2013Kartsport Auckland Club Point Series - Cadet Raket class12th
Kartsport NZ North Island Sprint Championship - Cadet class24th
201446th Blossom Festival - Cadet class8th
Kartsport Auckland City of Sails - Cadet Raket class4th
Kartsport Auckland Club Point Series - Cadet Raket class2nd
Kartsport Auckland Club Point Series - Cadet Rok class3rd
Kartsport NZ North Island Sprint Championship - Cadet class16th
Kartsport NZ National Schools Championship - Cadet class10th
NZ Top Half Series - Cadet class
201547th Blossom Festival - Cadet class1st
Kartsport NZ National Schools Championship - Cadet class2nd
Kartsport Auckland City of Sails - Cadet Rok class3rd
Kartsport Auckland Club Point Series - Cadet Rok class2nd
Kartsport Auckland Club Point Series - Cadet Raket class3rd
Kartsport NZ North Island Sprint Championship - Cadet class2nd
NZ National Sprint Championship - Cadet7th
201648th Blossom Festival - Vortex Mini Rok class6th
Kartsport NZ National Schools Championship - Vortex Mini Rok6th
Kartsport Auckland City of Sails - Cadet Rok class5th
Kartsport Auckland Club Point Series - Vortex Mini Rok class15th
Giltrap Group Kartsport NZ Sprint Championship - Cadet class10th
2017Kartsport NZ National Schools Championship - Vortex Mini Rok3rd
Kartsport Auckland City of Sails - Vortex Mini Rok class4th
NZ Top Half Series - Vortex Mini Rok class
Sievwright Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship - Vortex Mini ROK class4th
2018Kartsport Auckland - Auckland Regional Schools Championship - Rotax Max Junior class7th
50th Blossom Festival - Rotax Max Junior class8th
Kartsport NZ National Schools Championship presented by Napier Boys High School - Junior Rotax7th
Kartsport NZ North Island Sprint Championship - Rotax Junior class7th
Kartsport Auckland City of Sails - Rotax Junior class6th
RMC New Zealand - Junior Max5th
NZ National Sprint Championship - Junior Max10th
2019Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship - Vortex Rok DVS Junior class2nd
Australian Kart Championship - KA218th
CIK Trophy of New Zealand - Vortex Rok DVS Junior2nd
Kartsport NZ National Schools Championship - Junior Rotax2nd
Kartsport NZ North Island Sprint Championship - Rotax Junior class1st
ROK Cup Superfinal - Junior ROKWard Racing
NZ National Sprint Championship - Junior Max21st
2020Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship - Vortex Rok DVS Junior class
Kartsport NZ North Island Sprint Championship - Rotax Light17th
Kartsport Auckland City of Sails - Rotax Junior class6th
Australian Kart Championship - KA231st
2021McFall Fuels Kartsport NZ National Schools Championship presented by Cambridge High School - Rotax Light11th
Pool & Spa Maintenance Ltd Kartsport Auckland City of Sails - Rotax Light class9th

Racing record

Racing career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2020-21North Island Formula Ford Series150001?4th
2021NZ Formula Ford Championship600002858th
Formula Ford Manfeild Winter Series941355063rd
2021-22North Island Formula Ford Series1262687013rd
Formula Ford New Zealand South Island Series20000??
2022NZ Formula Ford Championships841454603rd
Formula Ford Manfeild Winter Series331032258th
2023Formula Regional Oceania ChampionshipM2 Competition1500132454th
Formula Regional Japanese ChampionshipSutekina Racing Team163028219.52nd
2024Formula Regional Oceania ChampionshipM2 Competition1532383412nd
USF Pro 2000 ChampionshipTJ Speed Motorsports141004211*5th*

Complete Formula Regional Oceania Championship Results

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

YearTeam123456789101112131415DCPoints
2023M2 CompetitionHIG
1

HIG
2

HIG
3

TER
1

TER
2

TER
3

MAN
1

MAN
2

MAN
3

HMP
1

HMP
2

HMP
3

TAU
1

TAU
2

TAU
3

4th245
2024M2 CompetitionTAU
1

TAU
2

TAU
3

MAN
1

MAN
2

MAN
3

HMP
1

HMP
2

HMP
3

RUA
1

RUA
2

RUA
3

HIG
1

HIG
2

HIG
3

2nd341

Complete Formula Regional Japanese Championship results

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

American open-wheel racing results

USF Pro 2000 Championship

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

References

  1. https://www.usfpro2000.com/teams-drivers/current-drivers/liam-sceats-(r)
  2. Web site: Liam Sceats (R) . 2024-07-17 . www.usfpro2000.com.
  3. Web site: Morales, Yeany and Sceats Represent TJ Speed at St. Pete . 2024-07-17 . www.usfpro2000.com.
  4. Web site: Wood . Ida . 2023-06-11 . Ogawa extends FRegional Japan lead in up-and-down Okayama round . 2024-07-17 . Formula Scout . en-US.
  5. Web site: Wood . Ida . 2023-07-23 . Sota Ogawa wins once but loses twice at Motegi in FRegional Japan . 2024-07-17 . Formula Scout . en-US.
  6. Web site: Wood . Ida . 2023-09-09 . Sceats wins at Fuji to reduce Ogawa's FRegional Japan lead . 2024-07-17 . Formula Scout . en-US.
  7. Web site: Wood . Ida . 2023-11-26 . Ogawa becomes FRegional Japan champion as Okuzumi wins at Sugo . 2024-07-17 . Formula Scout . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2022-12-29 . Sceats joins race to inaugural Castrol Toyota Formula Regional title . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20221229061149/https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/castrol-toyota-racing-series/news/2022/december/sceats-joins-race-to-inaugural-castrol-toyota-formula-regional-title?fbclid=IwAR1sWF-aXtbAszFI5lReLdw0w80p94UiHk3vOTb1dohyHM4VtnkaQJ1Ls7k . December 29, 2022 . July 17, 2024 . Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ . en-NZ.
  9. Web site: Sceats set to mount Castrol Toyota FR Oceania championship attack . 2024-07-17 . Toyota NZ . en-nz.
  10. Web site: Waring . Bethonie . 2024-02-17 . Sceats on pole for New Zealand GP as Bilinski crashes out of qualifying . 2024-07-17 . Formula Scout . en-US.
  11. Web site: Sampson . Matthew . 2024-02-18 . Liam Sceats wins 2024 New Zealand Grand Prix . 2024-07-17 . VelocityNews . en-US.
  12. Web site: Series . Feeder . 2024-02-27 . After winning the New Zealand Grand Prix, what’s next for Liam Sceats? . 2024-07-17 . Feeder Series . en.
  13. Web site: Sampson . Matthew . 2024-05-12 . Double USF Pro 2000 podium for Sceats at IMS . 2024-07-17 . VelocityNews . en-US.