Toyota Names 20 Racers for TGR Esports National Finals

Twenty sim racers will compete for national titles and Team Philippines slots at the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippines Esports GT Championship finals on September 27.

Toyota Motor Philippines selected the top 10 players in the Sporting Class and Junior Class from more than 400 participants nationwide.

The qualifiers recorded their fastest laps around Laguna Seca in Gran Turismo using a stock Toyota GR 86.

Russel Reyes led the Sporting Class with a lap time of 1 minute, 40.258 seconds. Luis Antonio Moreno placed second at 1:40.862, followed by Russo Gabriel Formoso at 1:40.869.

Completing the Sporting Class field are Corwin Josiah Mercado, Michael Vincent Velasquez, James Patrick Lopez, Victor Lorenzo Ancheta, Arlie Jophen Matubis, Stanley Golez and Kendrick Asensi.

Enzo Ison topped the Junior Class at 1:40.751. Zeph Marcelo followed at 1:41.152, while Alanzo Matteo Gonzaga finished third at 1:41.207.

The other Junior Class finalists are Chester Jordan Ilog, Luth Ifamy, Reign Alojado, Theo Gabriel Pangan, Jo Hashimoto, Prince Von Erico Contreras and Samuel Rey Icalia.

The finals will be held at Function Room 1 on the second floor of the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. Admission is free.

The champion in each class will receive P100,000 and qualify for the Asia Finals as part of Team Philippines.

Each runner-up will earn P75,000. The runner-up who finishes with the higher points total will secure the third and final Team Philippines berth.

Fans attending the event can use public sim racing rigs and view the GR Yaris, GR Corolla, GR 86 and Tamaraw one-make race car. Toyota will also offer its latest GR merchandise at the venue.

TMP first vice president for vehicle sales operations Elijah Marcial said participation increased from 250 competitors last season to more than 400 this year.

“The esports community has grown a lot since last season,” Marcial said. “We look forward to finding out who will be coming out on top at the National Finals.”

He said the strong Junior Class turnout gives young racers an early opportunity to develop their skills and gain competition experience.

The championship began in 2020 as the GR GT Cup. It serves as Toyota’s grassroots sim racing series in the Philippines and has sent leading players to regional and international competitions.

The program also provides a route into actual motorsport. Competition winners can advance to the TGR Philippine Cup, previously known as the Vios Cup.

The national finals will be streamed live through the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippines Facebook page.