This trio will represent PH at the Toyota Gazoo Racing eSports GT Championship Asia 2025

It was another action-packed weekend for Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Philippines, as they concluded the sixth season of their sim racing tournament, now called the TGR Philippines eSports GT Championship (formerly known as the TGR GT Cup), held over the weekend of October 11 and 12, 2025 (Saturday and Sunday) at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Pasay City.

With over 250 participants joining the action both online and offline, the event came to a close with the top three sim racers winning at the championship round.

Emerging as champion after competing with a total of 39 sim racers over the quarterfinals, semifinals and national finals, and gaining a total of 72 points, is newcomer Victor Ancheta. Qualifying third overall in the online and offline qualifiers, Ancheta consistently placed in the top ranks in all his races, just behind seasoned sim racers.

At second place with a total of 67.5 points is 2024 season runner-up and Asia Finals participant Enzo Ison. He ranked first in the qualifiers, and showed consistent performance throughout the finals to secure his top two spot on the podium.

Rounding up the winners and taking the last spot on the podium with 61.5 points at third place is 2023 third placer and Asia Finals participant Matthew Ang. He qualified second overall during the qualifiers.

Action-packed e-race weekend

As mentioned, over 250 participants signed up for the TGR eSports GT Championship 2025, with the top 40 battling it out at the Quarterfinals on the first day. Divided into four groups of 10 players each, they took on Dragon Tail Gardens in the GR Yaris High Performance ’20 in three race heats. 

The starting grid of the first race heat was decided by a qualifying time trial (QTT), while the second race heat put racers in a reverse grid based on their finishing order in the first race. For the third race heat, the QTT results of the first race heat were re-used to set the grid. This was topped by Ison, followed by Ang, and Jether Miole in third.

The Semifinals was held on day two, with the top 20 sim racers grouped into two, also with 10 racers each, battling it out with the Toyota GR Supra Race Car 19 Gr. 4 on Mount Panorama. The same car was used during the second race with wet drizzling conditions on the Redbull Ring. For the third and final race of the semifinals, tire wear and fuel consumption were enabled to test the racers’ race craft on the Daytona International Speedway. Miole placed first in the semifinals, followed by Ang in second, and Ison in third.

Following the semifinals, a surprise Wild Card Round was held, with eight racers who didn’t make it to the top 10 called back for a chance to take the 11th seat in the National Finals, chosen through a random draw, and joined by previous champions Luis Moreno and Russel Reyes. Finishing in third place, behind Reyes and Moreno, James Lopez was announced the Wild Card Round winner and advanced to the national finals.

The national finals was held with three races, each with a different car and track, participated by the top 11 racers. Racers battled with the Toyota Supra Racing Concept ’18 on Kyoto Driving Park-Yamagiwa for the first race, the Toyota GR Yaris on Colorado Springs for the second race, and the Toyota GR010 Hybrid on the Circuit de Spa Francorchamps in dynamic weather conditions for the third and final race, with tire wear and fuel consumption were also enabled for extra challenge.

In pole position for the first race was Ang, overtaken by Ison who took the win, followed by Ancheta in second, and Miole in third. For race two, Ang secured first place, followed by Miole and Ison in second and third, respectively.

As expected, the third and final race of the national finals was the most action-packed. A scuffle in the first lap of the third race would relegate Miole to the back of the pack, while tire strategy would affect the pace and track position of both Ison and Ang. 

This placed Michael Velasquez and Victor Ancheta ahead of them in the final laps. A bold overtake by Velasquez in the final lap took the win away from Ancheta giving them first and second place, while Corwin Mercado finished behind them in third.

Special awards were also given out, with Ancheta receiving the Crowd Favorite award, Miole with Best Overtake, Ison as Smooth Operator, and Ang for the Pole Position award.

Representing the Philippines

The trio of Victor Ancheta, Enzo Ison, and Matthew Ang forms Team Philippines which will be advancing as the representatives of the Philippines in the Asia Finals, happening in Thailand this November.

And as this season comes to another successful close, Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippines says that if you’re interested to join in the upcoming seasons, be sure to keep your eyes peeled and check out their socials for future announcements.

_{Photos by Sam Surla}