12th Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup proves fun can still be 'sustainable'

CLARK: The latest leg of the 12th Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Philippine Cup proved that motorsports can be both exciting and sustainable.

In line with TGR's mantra of "Pushing the Limits for Better," the competition became a “rolling laboratory” with the introduction of higher biofuel blends that could benefit motorists, support the local agricultural sector, and reduce environmental impact.

The competing vehicles used two biofuel blends:

• E20: ethanol (derived from sugarcane and corn) blended with gasoline for the Vios OMR
• B5: a coco-biodiesel blend for the Tamaraw OMR

Present during the fuel test demonstration for the race weekend were Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Roger Navarro and representatives from the Department of Energy-Biomass Energy Management Division.

Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) Senior Vice President for Marketing Sherwin Chua-Lim said the company secured 4,000 liters of premixed E20 and B5 fuel for the second race weekend, with both blends ready for use by participants.

During the event, TMP President Masando Hashimoto expressed confidence that adopting higher biofuel blends would reduce the country's reliance on imported fuel, which has affected consumers amid recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

He also said wider use of blended fuels would strengthen support for local farmers, noting that the country's coconut industry provides livelihoods for about three million Filipinos.

"By creating more coconut-based fuel, we create more demand for what they produce," Hashimoto said.

Hashimoto added that increased biofuel use presents an opportunity for the Philippines to become more resilient and energy self-reliant.

"Of course, taking care of the environment for the future is also important. But at the same time, we must make sure that our country has a stable and secure supply of energy for everyday life today."

He also emphasized that Toyota views the racetrack as a "rolling laboratory" where new technologies are tested and refined before being introduced to production vehicles.[FM1> 

"Around the world, Toyota sees the racetrack as a rolling laboratory–a place where we test new ideas and develop better cars for society."

Hashimoto added that using biofuels on the racetrack demonstrates that the technology works under real-world conditions.

"We hope this helps more people understand how important biofuel can be for the future of the Philippines."

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'No loss in performance'

As part of its "rolling laboratory" initiative, TMP continues to collect data and feedback from participating race teams and drivers.

Driving the No. 4 Tamaraw OMR for Team Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippines, Hashimoto said he noticed no difference in vehicle performance while using the B5 blend.

"In terms of the B5 fuel, I felt no power change, no power loss," he said.

His observations were echoed by content creator and fellow Team TGR Philippines driver Alex Lim, better known online as "BanaweBoy."

"Frankly, for me, it feels the same. The torque is there, the power is there, and that's good for us drivers."

Lim added that the B5-powered Tamaraw race car performed without issues, including during the hot laps before the races.

TMP is also gathering feedback from participating teams to evaluate the overall performance of vehicles running on the higher biofuel blends.

Earlier, the company said that 75 percent of its gasoline-powered Toyota models in the Philippines are already E20-compliant, while all its diesel-powered models are compatible with B5 biodiesel.

Chua-Lim added that barring any unforeseen circumstances, TMP intends to continue using higher biofuel blends in future races as part of its push for more environmentally friendly motorsports.

The initiative is in line with the brand’s “Beyond Zero” campaign, in which the TGR Philippine Cup takes advantage of alternative fuel availability to diversify its fuel sources, contributing to Toyota’s overall goal of carbon neutrality.

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