Wikipedia

2024 Formula Regional Oceania Championship

The 2024 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship was the second season of the Formula Regional Oceania Championship, and the nineteenth running of the premier open-wheel motorsport category formerly known as the Toyota Racing Series, held in New Zealand. It was held over five consecutive weekends in January and February 2024.

For the first time in the history of the championship and its predecessors, the highest placed Australian or Kiwi driver after the first two rounds was awarded the Tasman Cup that had previously been awarded to the winner of the Tasman Series up until 2023.[1] Australian driver Christian Mansell was second overall after the second round at Manfeild, thereby taking this title.[2]

Roman Bilinski, driving for M2 Competition, claimed the championship at the penultimate race of the season. Kiwi Motorsport driver Patrick Woods-Toth took the rookie title at the same race.

Entry list edit

All drivers competed with identical Tatuus FT-60 chassis cars powered by 2.0L turbocharged Toyota engines.[3] The series switched its tyre supplier from Hankook to Pirelli because of a fire at Hankook's factory in Daejeon that caused widespread supply issues.[4] The series supplied all cars with 100% fossil-free fuel, becoming the first Formula Regional championship to take this sustainability step.[5]

Team No. Driver Status Rounds
M2 Competition 4   Roman Bilinski[6] All
7   Nicola Lacorte[7] R 1–3
16   Michael Shin[8] All
23   Liam Sceats[9] All
27   Bryce Aron[10] 4–5
39   Gerrard Xie[a][11] All
101   Ryder Quinn[12] 5
mtec Motorsport 5   Lucas Fecury[13] All
6   Tommy Smith[14] 1–3
17   Callum Hedge[15] 5
19   Elliott Cleary[16] R 1–3, 5
48   Kaden Probst[17] R 1–4
51   Jacob Abel[18] 4–5
Kiwi Motorsport 14   Patrick Woods-Toth[19] R All
20   Jake Bonilla[20] R All
22   Jett Bowling[21] R All
31   Titus Sherlock[22] R All
Giles Motorsport 15   Kaleb Ngatoa[23] All
41   Alex Crosbie[24] R All
69   Sebastian Manson[25] R 4–5
71   Christian Mansell[26] 1–2
739   Landan Matriano Lim[27] R All
Icon Status
R Rookie
G Guest driver

Race calendar edit

Even before the 2023 season had begun, New Zealand's national motorsport governing body had already announced the 2024 calendar. The championship again consisted of five weekends. The round at Teretonga Park was dropped, instead the series returned to Euromarque Motorsport Park for the first time since 2018.[28]

The 68th running of the New Zealand Grand Prix was held as the final race of the season, at Highlands Motorsport Park.[29]

Round Circuit Date Support bill Map of circuit locations
1 R1 Taupo International Motorsport Park
(Taupō, Waikato) 		20 January Taupo Historic Grand Prix
Historic Touring Cars NZ
Formula Junior NZ
NZ Historic Muscle & Saloon Cars
R2 21 January
R3
2 R1 Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon
(Feilding, Manawatū District) 		27 January New Zealand GT Championship
TGR 86 Series NZ
Super V8 Series
TA2 New Zealand
R2 28 January
R3
3 R1 Hampton Downs Motorsport Park
(Hampton Downs, North Waikato) 		3 February New Zealand Porsche Series Championship
GT Racing New Zealand
NZ Formula First Championship
Superkart Drivers Club Series
R2 4 February
R3
4 R1 Euromarque Motorsport Park
(Christchurch, Canterbury) 		10 February Lady Wigram Trophy
Trans-Tasman Challenge
New Zealand GT Championship
TGR 86 Series NZ
R2 11 February
R3
5 R1 Highlands Motorsport Park
(Cromwell, Otago) 		17 February New Zealand Grand Prix
Trans-Tasman Challenge
New Zealand GT Championship
TGR 86 Series NZ
R2 18 February
R3

Race results edit

Round Circuit Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Winning team
1 R1 Taupo International Motorsport Park   Christian Mansell   Roman Bilinski   Roman Bilinski M2 Competition
R2   Alex Crosbie   Gerrard Xie M2 Competition
R3   Christian Mansell   Christian Mansell   Roman Bilinski M2 Competition
2 R1 Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon   Roman Bilinski   Nicola Lacorte   Roman Bilinski M2 Competition
R2   Kaleb Ngatoa   Christian Mansell Giles Motorsport
R3   Roman Bilinski   Liam Sceats   Roman Bilinski M2 Competition
3 R1 Hampton Downs Motorsport Park   Gerrard Xie   Liam Sceats   Roman Bilinski M2 Competition
R2   Roman Bilinski   Nicola Lacorte M2 Competition
R3   Roman Bilinski   Roman Bilinski   Kaleb Ngatoa Giles Motorsport
4 R1 Euromarque Motorsport Park   Roman Bilinski   Bryce Aron   Roman Bilinski M2 Competition
R2   Michael Shin   Michael Shin M2 Competition
R3   Roman Bilinski   Roman Bilinski   Liam Sceats M2 Competition
5 R1 Highlands Motorsport Park   Liam Sceats   Liam Sceats   Liam Sceats M2 Competition
R2   Roman Bilinski   Bryce Aron M2 Competition
R3   Liam Sceats   Roman Bilinski   Liam Sceats M2 Competition

Season report edit

First half edit

The 2024 Formula Regional Oceania Championship began at a wet Taupo with Giles's Christian Mansell taking pole position for the first race.[30] His advantage was short-lived, however, as M2's Roman Bilinski grabbed the lead at the start. He continued to lead Mansell all 18 laps, throughout a safety car phase. His teammate Michael Shin completed the podium.[31] Giles's Alex Crosbie headed the field for the reversed-grid second race. Two caution periods disrupted proceedings, allowing M2's Gerrard Xie to rise up to second and then grab the lead at the final restart to win. Crosbie dropped to third, behind Bilinski.[32] Mansell had qualified on pole position for the third race,[33] but a penalty saw him start fifth. Nevertheless, he was back in second by the end of the first lap and took the lead on lap four. Bilinski took second shortly after and began closing up on Mansell. The Pole took the lead on lap 19 and went on to take the win. Mansell and M2's Liam Sceats were on the podium and left Taupo equal on points, 25 behind Bilinski.[34]

Bilinski continued his form by taking pole position for the first race at Manfeild.[35] He led Mansell throughout most of the first race, before the Australian dropped to tenth because of an electrical issue. This allowed Bilinski to take a trouble-free win ahead of Lacorte and Sceats.[36] The second race was held in wet conditions and saw Bilinski forced to pit to repair his rain light, thereby removing him from contention. Xie spun from second place, while Mansell and his teammate Kaleb Ngatoa both got past Kiwi's polesitter Patrick Woods-Toth. The pair battled for the race lead with Mansell eventually coming out on top, while mtec's Tommy Smith completed the podium.[37] Another pole position for Bilinski put him in prime position for race three.[38] Wet conditions first saw a red flag for a crash between Lacorte and Shin, before multiple drivers spun and race control elected to stop the race early. Bilinski won ahead of Mansell and Sceats, now with a slightly reduced lead of 22 points ahead of newly crowned Tasman Cup winner Mansell.[39]

Round three at Hampton Downs began with Xie taking pole position and Bilinski only managing 14th place.[40] He turned his frustration into a momentous first race: in changing conditions, he climbed eight places on the first lap into sixth, forced his way past Xie and Sceats into third and set out after Ngatoa and mtec's Kaden Probst. The pair had started on wet tires, but the track was now dry enough that Bilinski could easily take the lead and the win ahead of Sceats and Woods-Toth.[41] Race two began with Lacorte overtaking Shin into turn one, with the Italian, then controlling the race out in front to win ahead of the Korean with Bilinski in third.[42] Now the Pole had also regained his one-lap pace and took pole position for race three.[43] Xie was to start alongside him, but a heavy crash in race two saw him withdraw. This allowed Ngatoa into second and he used that to overtake Bilinski and leading him home. Shin came third, as Sceats overtook the absent Mansell for second in the standings, now 50 points behind Bilinski.[44]

Second half edit

The series' return to Ruapuna saw Bilinski claim another pole position ahead of Sceats.[45] The first race opened with a lengthy stoppage after heavy contact between Probst and Kiwi's Titus Sherlock. Bilinsiki controlled the restart and resisted Sceats's pressure all race long. Behind them, mtec's returnee Jacob Abel held on to third in a three-car battle with Ngatoa and Giles's Alex Crosbie.[46] Race two saw front-row starters Shin and Woods-Toth making slight contact side-by-side into turn one. This saw Woods-Toth drop to third behind Xie. Shin then pulled away to win, while Xie did all he could to keep Woods-Toth behind him.[47] Bilinski was on pole position again for the third race, again heading Sceats,[48] but this time, the Kiwi got the better of the Pole into the first turn to take the lead. Again the leader had to resist pressure from behind, but like Bilinski the day before, Sceats did not put a foot wrong to claim his maiden win. Still, Bilinski had grown his lead to 56 points, with 90 still on offer heading into the final weekend.[49]

Qualifying for the New Zealand Grand Prix at Highlands began with a shock for Bilinski as he crashed, putting him 13th on the grid for the Grand Prix, while Sceats took two pole positions.[50] The first race saw a controlled lights-to-flag victory by Sceats to keep the championship alive going into the final day of the season. Bilinski started fourth and got into second, but could not find a way past mtec's Callum Hedge.[51] M2's Bryce Aron started the second race from pole position, while Bilinski was in fifth. He needed to outscore Sceats to take the title, but did more than that, rising to second and briefly contending for victory before dropping back into third behind Woods-Toth. He thereby took the championship title, while Woods-Toth claimed the Rookie win.[52] Sceats's only consolation for the loss of the championship title came in him winning the Grand Prix, resisting Hedge for 27 laps before claiming the victory, with Shin also on the podium. Bilinski's season ended in a wild crash, going over the top of Aron's car in the final turn.[53]

Bilinski came to New Zealand with a single Formula Regional podium in his previous career, but was a championship contender right off the bat. While most of his six wins came from front-row starts, a defining moment of his championship was his win from fourteenth on the grid at Hampton Downs. Bilinski called his championship "massively" important for his career, calling himself "absolutely over the moon". Sceats was runner-up in a Formula Regional Championship for the second time in a year after his 2023 Formula Regional Japan campaign, but found comfort in winning the Grand Prix. After the race, his words to the media talking about his win were: "I’m speechless. I can’t even think right now. I can’t believe it." The championship's second year post-COVID saw it further reestablish itself as a competitive winter series, while also continuing to build upon its unique selling points with the addition of features like a fossil-free fuel.[54]

Championship standings edit

Scoring system edit

No points were awarded for pole position or fastest lap.

Race (starting grid from qualifying)
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th
Points 35 31 27 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Reversed grid race
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th
Points 20 18 16 14 12 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Drivers' championship edit

Pos. Driver TAU MAN HMP RUA HIG Points
R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3
1   Roman Bilinski 1 2 1 1 17 1 1 3 2 1 4 2 3 3 5 385
2   Liam Sceats 5 4 3 3 6 3 2 6 5 2 8 1 1 9 1 341
3   Patrick Woods-Toth 16 5 9 8 4 6 3 4 6 7 3 3 6 2 9 255
4   Michael Shin 3 7 5 17 12 Ret 6 2 3 8 1 7 4 7 3 245
5   Alex Crosbie 8 3 4 9 7 7 12 10 8 5 6 8 13 12 7 206
6   Kaleb Ngatoa 4 14 7 4 2 5 16 7 1 4 5 10 WD WD WD 205
7   Gerrard Xie 6 1 11 7 10 15 4 5 WD 6 2 6 8 6 16 205
8   Tommy Smith 7 6 12 6 3 4 5 9 7 144
9   Christian Mansell 2 Ret 2 5 1 2 135
10   Nicola Lacorte Ret 11 6 2 5 Ret 7 1 4 130
11   Elliott Cleary 10 8 10 14 9 10 8 8 11 9 10 10 124
12   Jett Bowling 12 12 15 11 13 9 13 14 15 10 9 9 11 11 11 120
13   Jacob Abel 3 7 5 5 4 4 118
14   Titus Sherlock 11 Ret 8 13 8 8 11 13 9 Ret 12 11 17 14 Ret 105
15   Bryce Aron 9 10 4 7 1 6 102
16   Landan Matriano Lim 15 9 17 15 11 12 10 15 13 11 13 13 15 15 13 94
17   Lucas Fecury 9 NC 16 10 16 13 9 12 12 12 14 Ret 14 17 14 91
18   Callum Hedge 2 5 2 74
19   Jake Bonilla 14 10 14 16 15 14 14 16 14 13 15 14 16 16 15 74
20   Kaden Probst 13 13 13 12 14 11 15 11 10 Ret WD WD 63
21   Sebastian Manson DNS 11 12 10 8 12 43
22   Ryder Quinn 12 13 8 28
Pos. Driver R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 Points
TAU MAN HMP RUA HIG
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole

Italics – Fastest Lap

† — Did not finish, but classified

Rookie

Notes edit

  1. ^ Xie is a Chinese driver who competed under a Hong Kong licence.

References edit

  1. ^ Hastie, Lance (20 January 2024). "Tasman Cup returns for 2024 Formula Regional Oceania Championship". Super Sprint. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  2. ^ O'Brien, Gary (28 January 2024). "Mansell wins Tasman Cup at Manfeild – Circuit Chris Amon". Speedcafe. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  3. ^ "The Car". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Championship makes Pirelli switch". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  5. ^ "NZ leads the way as Oceania series is first FIA Formula Regional championship to use fossil free fuel". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Bilinski aiming to put Formula Regional experience to good use in NZ". Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  7. ^ "New Alpine Academy junior Lacorte heading to New Zealand". Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  8. ^ "New Zealand season next for Michael Shin". Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  9. ^ "Sceats set to mount Castrol Toyota FR Oceania championship attack". Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Aron to begin exciting 2024 by racing in the New Zealand Grand Prix". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  11. ^ "2022 Chinese Formula 4 Champion Xie heading for NZ aiming to win in first FR season". Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Quinn to complete New Zealand Grand Prix dream for grandfather". Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ. 7 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Fecury heading back to NZ for second Castrol Toyota FR Oceania campaign". Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  14. ^ "Aussie Smith signs for part season in NZ with mtec Motorsport". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Hedge last minute addition to New Zealand Grand Prix". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Cleary ready to step up to NZ Formula Regional campaign in 2024". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Kiwi racer Probst steps up to FR Oceania campaign". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Battle between the aces on the cards for Christchurch". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  19. ^ "F4 US champion joins Castrol Toyota FR Oceania grid". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Bonilla heading to NZ to begin 2024 season". Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ. 8 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  21. ^ "Kiwi Motorsport to field Bowling in New Zealand". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  22. ^ "Kiwi Motorsport secures top F4 runner for CTFROC". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  23. ^ "Ngatoa focused on home win in Australasia's top single seater championship". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  24. ^ "Crosbie on the grid for Castrol Toyota FR Oceania Championship". Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ. 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  25. ^ "Manson ready for Grand Prix challenge". Toyota NZ. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  26. ^ "Aussie star Mansell heading for New Zealand". Toyota GAZOO Racing NZ. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
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  28. ^ Wood, Ida (5 December 2022). "W Series' Chloe Chambers to race in Toyota Racing Series". Formula Scout. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  29. ^ "Super Sprint NZ: 2024 Series Calendar Announced". Oversteer TV. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  30. ^ Waring, Bethonie (19 January 2024). "Christian Mansell takes pole for FRegional Oceania season opener". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  31. ^ Waring, Bethonie (20 January 2024). "Bilinski wins first FRegional Oceania race of 2024". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  32. ^ Waring, Bethonie (21 January 2024). "Xie wins FRegional Oceania's safety car-filled reversed-grid race". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  33. ^ Waring, Bethonie (20 January 2024). "Mansell takes a second FRegional Oceania pole at Taupo". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  34. ^ Waring, Bethonie (21 January 2024). "Bilinski passes Mansell for lead-extending FRegional Oceania win". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  35. ^ Waring, Bethonie (26 January 2024). "Bilinski takes pole for FRegional Oceania race one at Manfeild". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  36. ^ Waring, Bethonie (27 January 2024). "Lights-to-flag victory for Bilinski in FRegional Oceania's 300th race". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  37. ^ Waring, Bethonie (28 January 2024). "Mansell takes first FRegional Oceania victory in wet conditions". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  38. ^ Waring, Bethonie (27 January 2024). "Bilinski leads Mansell in FRegional Oceania Q2 at Manfeild". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  39. ^ Waring, Bethonie (28 January 2024). "Bilinski victorious at Manfeild in disrupted third FRegional Oceania race". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  40. ^ Waring, Bethonie (2 February 2024). "Xie takes first FRegional Oceania pole, points leader Bilinski 14th on grid". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  41. ^ Waring, Bethonie (3 February 2024). "Bilinski storms from 14th to FRegional Oceania win in changing weather". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  42. ^ Waring, Bethonie (4 February 2024). "Lacorte wins, Xie and Woods-Toth collide in FRegional Oceania race two". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  43. ^ Waring, Bethonie (3 February 2024). "Bilinski denies Xie a second FRegional Oceania pole at Hampton Downs". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  44. ^ Waring, Bethonie (4 February 2024). "Ngatoa holds off Bilinski for FRegional Oceania win". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  45. ^ Waring, Bethonie (10 February 2024). "Bilinski edges Sceats to FRegional Oceania pole at Ruapuna". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  46. ^ Waring, Bethonie (10 February 2024). "Bilinski brings home sixth FRegional Oceania win by holding off Sceats". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  47. ^ Waring, Bethonie (11 February 2024). "Michael Shin dominates for first FRegional Oceania win". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  48. ^ Waring, Bethonie (10 February 2024). "Bilinski adds to his FRegional Oceania pole tally at Ruapuna". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  49. ^ Waring, Bethonie (11 February 2024). "Sceats claims maiden FRegional Ocania win in Lady Wigram Trophy race". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  50. ^ Waring, Bethonie (17 February 2024). "Sceats on pole for New Zealand GP as Bilinski crashes out of qualifying". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  51. ^ Waring, Bethonie (17 February 2024). "Sceats stays in FRegional Oceania title fight with Highlands race one win". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  52. ^ Waring, Bethonie (17 February 2024). "Bilinski takes FRegional Oceania title as Aron wins Highlands race two". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  53. ^ Waring, Bethonie (18 February 2024). "Liam Sceats wins the 2024 New Zealand Grand Prix". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  54. ^ Wood, Ida (19 February 2024). "FRegional Oceania title "huge" for Bilinski, Sceats savours "very sweet" GP win". Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2024.

External links edit

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