Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) has successfully concluded the National Finals of its premier e-motorsports tournament, the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT Cup Philippines (TGR GT Cup PH). The event, held on Sunday, August 18, at the SM Mall of Asia, marked a thrilling culmination of the competition in a live public venue for the first time.
Drawing large crowds, the TGR GT Cup PH Finals showcased the country’s top sim racers as they battled it out on their racing rigs for a chance to win cash prizes, exclusive TGR merchandise, seats in the Autocross Challenge, and the honor of representing the Philippines in the Asia Finals.
The competition kicked off with the Quarterfinals on August 17, where the Top 40 fastest e-racers from the qualifiers faced off on Trial Mountain in the Toyota GR Yaris RZ “High Performance” ‘20. Divided into four batches of 10 players each, the participants competed in three intense race heats. The first race determined the starting grid through a qualifying time trial, while the second race reversed the grid, adding excitement as the winners of the first race started at the back. The third race was another test of speed, with racers aiming to secure higher grid positions based on their fastest laps.
Notable performances emerged from past champions, with Luis Moreno and defending champion Russel Reyes winning all three races in their respective batches. Junior Class champion Enzo Ison also dominated his group, while former Promotional Class champion Stanley Golez and newcomer Adrian Unisa each claimed victories in their batch.
The competition intensified in the Semifinals, where the Top 20 racers competed on the Suzuka Circuit in the Toyota GR Supra RZ ’20. Similar to the Quarterfinals, the Semifinals featured three race heats per batch, with qualifying time trials setting the grid for the first and third races, and the second race reversing the order. Unpredictable weather conditions further tested the racers’ skills, with drizzle, dry conditions, and heavy rain adding to the challenge.
Luis Moreno continued to assert his dominance in the first batch, securing an eight-second lead in the first race, followed by a close contest with Jether Miole and Enzo Ison. Moreno maintained his momentum in the second and third races, consistently finishing at the top.
In the second batch, Russel Reyes demonstrated strong and steady driving, securing first place in the opening race. Matthew Ang and Stanley Golez followed closely behind. The remaining races saw similar results, with Ang, Reyes, and Golez consistently finishing in the top three.
For the National Finals, three distinct tracks with three different cars were introduced across three race heats. The e-racers took on the Deep Forest in the Toyota GR Yaris RZ “High Performance” 20, the Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit in the Toyota GR 86 RZ ‘21, and the Fuji International Speedway in the Toyota GR Supra Racing Concept ’18.
With the 10 best players remaining, the competition reached its peak. The National Finals saw intense wheel-to-wheel action as top e-racers pushed their limits, much to the delight of the cheering audience at SM Mall of Asia.
In the first race, Russel Reyes initially took pole position, but a strategic pit stop by Luis Moreno allowed him to overtake Reyes and secure the win. The second race, with a reverse grid, saw Moreno starting at the back, but he fought his way to the front, finishing first, followed by Enzo Ison and Reyes. The third race introduced dynamic weather conditions, which tested the racers’ adaptability. Moreno once again demonstrated his prowess with a well-timed pit strategy, eventually taking the lead after a mistake by Jether Miole, who had been leading the race. The final lap saw a dramatic turn of events, with Matthew Ang ultimately taking the win, Moreno finishing second, and Ison third.
The official results crowned Luis Moreno as the TGR GT Cup PH 2024 Champion with 75 points. Enzo Ison claimed 2nd Place with 48 points, and Russel Reyes rounded out the podium in 3rd Place with 45 points. Special awards were also given, with Ison recognized as Driver of the Day and Ang awarded for the Fastest Lap.
“This has been a fun event. Thank you so much for giving us sim racers the opportunity to have another shot at the [TGR GT Cup]. Hopefully, there’s more to come,” shared Russel Reyes.
“Thank you to my family and friends for supporting and helping me. And to my team, Legion of Racers, thank you for the practices,” said Enzo Ison.
“I would like to thank Toyota Motor Philippines for a phenomenal event. It’s the first time we had a live event head-to-head, and it’s great to see more of these events coming out. This year, I approached training differently, focusing on being more open and dynamic, and I’m happy that it paid off,” said Luis Moreno.
Moreno, Ison, and Reyes will represent Team Philippines at the Asia Finals in Malaysia on October 13.
The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT Cup Philippines is brought to you by Petron and GT Radial, in cooperation with Seiko. The event is also supported by Toyota Financial Services Philippines, myTOYOTA Wallet, Denso, AVT, 3M, ROTA, Tuason Racing, OMP, and Kinto One.
For more thrilling action, catch the second race weekend of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Philippine Cup on September 28 at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga. Admission is free!
Stay tuned to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Philippines on Facebook, Instagram, and X for the latest updates on the next season of the TGR GT Cup Philippines. Keep up with Toyota Motor Philippines’ products, services, events, and more by following them on Facebook, Instagram, X (@ToyotaMotorPH), and by joining the Toyota PH Viber community.
