Toyota GR GT Cup Asia 2024: Team PH finishes 4th overall

The 2024 Toyota GR GT Cup Asia Finals has brought together the fastest sim racers in the region and Team Philippines gave it all to represent the country with a valiant effort.

E-sports athletes Russel Reyes, Luis Moreno, and Enzo Ison have combined their efforts to place 4th overall in the Country Championship of this year’s Toyota GR GT Cup Asia. The Philippine trio took on competitors from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore to vie for a spot in the Toyota GR GT Cup Global Finals.

The Asia Finals consisted of three races, held in different virtual race tracks and using different Toyota Gazoo Racing vehicles. The first race was held at the virtual Sardinia Windmills track using the Toyota GR Yaris, and Russel Reyes finished 5th, the highest-placed Filipino.

For the second race which was done in reverse grid, players had to race in the Nurburgring Grand Prix Circuit using the Toyota GR Corolla. In mixed conditions, Reyes and Ison suffered from in-game penalties which hampered their progress. Nevertheless, the trio scored enough points to get up as high as 3rd in the Country Championship heading into the final race.

However, for the last race that was held at the virtual Fuji Speedway using the Toyota GR 010 Hybrid, it was Moreno who ran into trouble as he was spun out by another competitor while trying to move up the field. He tried to recover but in the end, Reyes, Moreno, and Ison came up just short of edging out Team Thailand and garnering enough points to reach the Country Championship podium.

Ultimately, Taj Aiman of Malaysia emerged as champion of this year’s Toyota GR GT Cup. Placing 2nd was Indonesia’s Andika Rama Maulana, while his compatriot Moreno Pratama rounded out the podium spot in 3rd place, which also sealed 1st place for Indonesia in the Country Championship.

This means Aiman and Rama will represent Asia in the 2024 TGR GT Cup Global Finals which will be held in December. As for the Philippine contingent, Reyes has finished 7th overall, Moreno 10th overall, and Ison 13th overall in the individual championship. Reyes was also awarded the Race Craft Award.

For the Pro-AM Exhibition Race, Autoindustriya.com’s very own Jamil Lacuna was paired with Indonesia's Benaya Theo, where they took home top honors for the Philippines after an 18-lap race in the High Speed Ring using the Toyota GR Corolla. 

In the Distributor Exhibition race, Toyota Motor Philippines’ Andy Ty emerged victorious ahead of Jaja Ishibashi after an intense battle at the Fuji Speedway using the Toyota GR 010 Hybrid. TMP's Allana Rufo, on the other hand, finished in 12th.

While Team PH may have come up short with the ultimate prize, there's a bright future ahead as they proved their competitiveness in Gran Turismo 7. Rest assured, the Philippine contingent will come back stronger for the next edition of the TGR GT Cup.