Reece Ushijima


Reece Ushijima is an American and Japanese racing driver who most recently competed in the 2023 USF Pro 2000 Championship with Jay Howard Driver Development. He previously competed in the 2022 FIA Formula 3 Championship for Van Amersfoort Racing.

Career

Karting

Ushijima made his international competitive karting debut in 2017 in the SKUSA SuperNationals for Phil Giebler Racing, competing against the likes of Jak Crawford and Zane Maloney. He then raced in X30 Senior category in IAME Asia, IAME Euroseries, Benelux, Asian Karting Championship, and Super One and British Karting Championships in the UK, racing for Piers Sexton Racing. In 2019, he finished 2nd in the Asian Karting Championship and 3rd in IAME Asia Final.

Formula Ford

In November 2019, at the age of 16, Ushijima transitioned from karts to cars. On the weekend following his racing licence acquisition he qualified on pole position, finishing P3 and P2 in the races and taking fastest lap at the BRSCC Formula Ford Winter Series in Wales, UK.

MRF Challenge Formula 2000

In the 2019–20 MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship held during the winter in Dubai, Sakhir and Chennai, Ushijima logged two fastest laps and finished 7th in the standings. His best finish was 4th place at the final round in Madras Motor Race Track, Chennai.

BRDC Formula 3 Championship

2020

For the 2020 season Ushijima signed with Hitech Grand Prix to race in the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship. The American started off strongly, scoring his maiden podium in the second round, with second at Donington Park. His next podium came at the next round, held at Brands Hatch, however this would be the final podium of his season. Ushijima finished eleventh in the standings, nine places behind teammate Kush Maini.

2021

For the 2021 season, Ushijima remained with Hitech, this time alongside Sebastián Álvarez and Bart Horsten. His first podium came at the opening round of the season, with third in race two at Brands Hatch. In the second round at Silverstone Circuit, Ushijima earned double pole, his first pole position in the series, followed up by his maiden wins in races 1 and 2. He would go on to score three more podiums and a further pole on his way to 4th in the final standings.

F3 Asian Championship

In the winter of 2021 Ushijima competed in the F3 Asian Championship with Hitech GP. He scored 45 points, and with a best race finish of fifth, ended up twelfth in the championship.

FIA Formula 3 Championship

Ushijima partook in post-season testing with Van Amersfoort Racing and was confirmed to drive for the team during the 2022 season, partnering Franco Colapinto and Rafael Villagómez.
At the end of the season, Ushijima partook in the post-season test with Hitech Grand Prix.

USF Pro 2000 Championship

For his 2023 campaign, Ushijima left Formula 3 and signed to compete in the USF Pro 2000 Championship with Jay Howard Driver Development. A second place podium came at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, being the only highlight of his tough season. He opted to withdraw from the series with three rounds to go, explaining his desire to return to racing in Europe for 2024. Ushijima was 14th in the standings, with 140 points.

Personal life

Ushijima's mother is American; his father, who grew up in the United States, is Japanese. Ushijima was born in California; in a 2023 interview he described America as his "home country." During the same interview he said he "grew up in Europe."

Karting record

Karting career summary

Racing record

Racing career summary

Complete MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship results

YearTeam123456789101112131415DCPoints
2019–20MRF RacingDUB
1
6		DUB
2
5		DUB
3
7		DUB
4
7		DUB
5
5		BHR
1
6		BHR
2
5		BHR
3
7		BHR
4
9		CHE
1
8		CHE
2
8		CHE
3
9		CHE
4
9		CHE
5
4		CHE
6
5		7th104

Complete BRDC British F3/GB3 Championship results

YearEntrant123456789101112131415161718192021222324DCPoints
2020Hitech Grand PrixOUL
1
10		OUL
2
6		OUL
3
15		OUL
4
10		DON1
1
2		DON1
2
152		DON1
3
13		BRH
1
14		BRH
2
2		BRH
3
8		BRH
4
9		DON2
1
8		DON2
2
45		DON2
3
6		SNE
1
9		SNE
2
11		SNE
3
13		SNE
4
10		DON3
1
10		DON3
2
131		DON3
3
Ret		SIL
1
DSQ		SIL
2
154		SIL
3
8		11th244
2021Hitech Grand PrixBRH
1
5		BRH
2
3		BRH
3
68		SIL1
1
1		SIL1
2
1		SIL1
3
106		DON1
1
2		DON1
2
Ret		DON1
3
Ret		SPA
1
11		SPA
2
8		SPA
3
65		SNE
1
Ret		SNE
2
13		SNE
3
112		SIL2
1
13		SIL2
2
8		SIL2
3
69		OUL
1
6		OUL
2
5		OUL
3
15		DON2
1
2		DON2
2
2		DON2
3
20		4th366

Complete F3 Asian Championship results

YearEntrant123456789101112131415DCPoints
2021Hitech Grand PrixDUB
1
10		DUB
2
11		DUB
3
6		ABU
1
10		ABU
2
13		ABU
3
6		ABU
1
12		ABU
2
11		ABU
3
10		DUB
1
10		DUB
2
5		DUB
3
6		ABU
1
8		ABU
2
9		ABU
3
10		12th45

Complete FIA Formula 3 Championship results

YearEntrant123456789101112131415161718DCPoints
2022Van Amersfoort RacingBHR
SPR
12		BHR
FEA
17		IMO
SPR
Ret		IMO
FEA
18		CAT
SPR
9		CAT
FEA
19		SIL
SPR
3		SIL
FEA
10		RBR
SPR
17		RBR
FEA
13		HUN
SPR
11		HUN
FEA
14		SPA
SPR
14		SPA
FEA
10		ZAN
SPR
22		ZAN
FEA
19		MNZ
SPR
19		MNZ
FEA
10		20th13

American open-wheel racing results

USF Pro 2000 Championship

YearTeam123456789101112131415161718RankPoints
2023Jay Howard Driver DevelopmentSTP
1
6		STP
2
19		SEB
1
8		SEB
2
4		IMS
1
2		IMS
2
9		IRP
11		ROA
1
13		ROA
2
8		MOH
1
18		MOH
2
6		TOR
1
TOR
2
COTA
1
COTA
1
POR
1
POR
2
POR
3
14th140