Racing series to introduce new race format and race class
March 12, 2025 – Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) is once again adding excitement to the local motorsports scene as it introduces big changes for the 11th season of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Philippine Cup (TGR Philippine Cup). Previously known as the TGR Vios Cup, the TGR Philippine Cup is the mobility company’s premier racing series, which aims to bring the thrill of motorsports closer to Filipinos.
The 2025 TGR Philippine Cup season returns with an earlier race calendar, holding three race weekends:
- Race Weekend 1 – March 22, 2025
- Race Weekend 2 – May 2025
- Race Weekend 3 – August 2025
Race Weekend 1 will be setting the pace at the Clark International Speedway in Mabalacat, Pampanga. Action-packed races await spectators as racers in the Novice Class, Sporting Class and Super Sporting Class duke it out in the Sprint and Endurance Races.
Returning to the Novice Class are TMP President Masando Hashimoto, Reph Bangsil, and media racers John Rey San Diego and Pablo Salapantan. Joining them are Vios Cup Autocross alumna Arianne Bautista, sim racer Luis Moreno, and media racer Ian Magbanua.
2025 TGR Philippine Cup Novice Class champion Russel Reyes and runner-up Jamil Lacuna have been promoted to the Sporting Class, where they will face off with some of the best racers in the country. They are joined by Kody Ng who is returning from last season to complete the Team TGR Philippines lineup.
A new race class will also be debuting on the grid—but with a familiar car! The Legacy Class, composed of former Vios Cup racers and owners of the third generation Vios, will be competing in their own race class in an exciting opportunity to see the legends and even former Vios Cup champions back on the track.
Racing teams from all over the country are revving up their engines for another thrill-filled season. With a bigger prize pool at stake, the competition is more intense than ever.
Fan-fun is back on track
In the spirit of providing fun and excitement to the fans, the TGR Philippine Cup is also introducing a new race format. Car clubs of Toyota’s performance cars – the GR Yaris, GR Supra and GR 86 – will get to push their super cars to the limits in the Club Race, a 5-lap circuit race.
Previously, car clubs were only given access to the speedway during Track Day, where they could fulfill their need for speed on the racetracks. Now with a competitive factor, the activity brings even more thrills to drivers and spectators alike.
For car club members who will not be participating in the Club Race, they will still get to enjoy driving around the track during Track Day, where fans can also enjoy seeing their favorite GR performance cars zipping through.
Fans will also get to see the New GR Yaris in action during its racetrack debut. The GR Supra, the GR 86, and various car club’s collections will also be on display at the event. Fans can also check out the official GR merchandise store for shirts, caps, umbrellas, tumblers, and other fan items.
There will be game booths, including the TGR GT Cup experience, where e-racing fans can put their skills to the test. Fans can also get their hands on freebies and prizes at the sponsors’ booths, and watch drifting and gymkhana exhibitions by professional drivers.
Filipino alternative rock band Hale will also be performing their hit songs for a night of celebration. Admission to all these activities is free!
“We talked with race fans and our customers to work out how we can make the TGR Philippine Cup even better. This led to the development of the Club Race and the Legacy Class, where fans themselves can participate in track activities,” shared TMP Assistant Vice President for Marketing Services Mr. Andy Ty. “Through events such as the TGR Philippine Cup, we hope more Filipinos can become interested in cars and motorsports, and experience for themselves the thrill of pushing the limits for better.”
Race Weekend 1 of the TGR Philippine Cup will be broadcast live on the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Philippines Facebook and YouTube pages. The live stream will start at 8:30AM.
The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Philippine Cup is brought to you by Official Fuel & Lubricants Partner Petron and Official Tire Partner GT Radial. This event is also supported by Toyota Financial Services Philippines, myTOYOTA Wallet, Denso, AVT, 3M, ROTA, Tuason Racing, OMP, and Kinto One.
Follow TOYOTA GAZOO Racing on Facebook and Instagram and TMP’s official pages—Toyota Motor Philippines on Facebook and Instagram, ToyotaMotorPH on Twitter, and join the Viber community at Toyota PH for updates.
