You may have heard the news that AAP-sanctioned motorsports have made a return, with one of the biggest prerequisites being that they must use alternative fuels during racing. And sure enough, the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup did that, but took it a step further.
For Race Weekend 2, which was held last weekend, July 9 to 11, at the Clark International Speedway, both the Toyota Vios and Tamaraw OMRs ran biofuels without any modifications done to the engines. For the Vios, these cars ran on an E20 bio-ethanol gasoline blend, while the Tamaraws ran on a B5 coco-biodiesel blend.
What made this important is that these fuels are not only low-carbon alternatives, but they also support Philippine energy and the agricultural sector development, as it reduces our reliance on imported petroleum, all while being able to utilize locally grown products from coconut and sugarcane farmers.
By being tested in extraordinary conditions like motorsports that are very demanding on these products, it allows these products to be tested for performance, reliability, and efficiency for eventual real-world usage, and Toyota will share these results with government agencies and key biofuel stakeholders.
There’s one more key takeaway from all of this, and it’s that a large majority of Toyota and Lexus gasoline-powered models are E20-capable, while all Toyota diesel models are compatible with B5 biodiesel. This is all aligned with Toyota’s multi-pathway approach to carbon neutrality, and it will also help motorists who still utilize ICE models get more sustainable and lower-carbon fuel options.
And as for the racing, we managed to interview a handful of racers who told us that the switch to these biofuels had no real difference in terms of performance to their vehicles whatsoever, allowing them to perform at the same level without having to adapt to any new strategies or states of tune for the engines.
Two more legs of the TGR Philippine Cup will take place later this year, with Race Weekend 3 taking place at the Batangas Racing Circuit this coming August 13 to 15, and Race Weekend 4 returning to Clark International Speedway on September 10 to 12, 2026.
As for the full list of winners for Race Weekend 2, you can find them below:
