2025 Toyota GR PH Cup opener set this weekend

MANILA: Expect the latest season of the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Philippine Cup to be more exciting than ever as organizers will start a new class in the motorsport series.

In a statement, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) said that it will include “Legacy Class” to the competition.

Per the leading mobility firm in the country, the aforementioned category will be made up of former Vios Cup racers as well as owners of the subcompact sedan's third-generation iteration.

Drivers under the newly-added class will be seen alongside competitors in the Novice, Sporting, and Super Sporting Classes in the Sprint and Endurance Races.

The 2025 TGR Philippine Cup season is set on the following dates:

• Race Weekend 1: March 22, 2025
• Race Weekend 2: May 2025
• Race Weekend 3: August 2025

Returning to the grid under Novice Class are TMP President Masando Hashimoto, Reph Bangsil, and media racers John Rey San Diego and Pablo Salapantan. They will be joined by Autocross alumna Arianne Bautista, sim racer Luis Moreno, and media racer Ian Magbanua.

Meanwhile, 2025 TGR Philippine Cup Novice Class champion Russel Reyes and runner-up Jamil Lacuna will participate in the Sporting Class. Joining the two in the Team TGR Philippines lineup is Kody Ng who is returning from last season.

TMP shared that the competition will see a bigger prize pool.

In addition to the new class, the TGR Philippine Cup will also introduce a new race format for car clubs of Toyota performance cars.

Dubbed the “Club Race,” owners of the Toyota GR Yaris, GR Supra and GR 86 will push their cars to their limits in a five-circuit race. Those who will not join the race will still have “Track Day” access during the event.

Further, the new Toyota GR Yaris (which was quietly introduced to the market recently) will also make its racetrack debut — together with race-ready siblings.

An official GR merchandise store for shirts, caps, umbrellas, tumblers, and other fan items as well as game booths like the “TGR GT Cup Experience” will be present at the event grounds.

Fans can also get their hands on freebies and prizes at the sponsors’ booths, and watch drifting and gymkhana exhibitions conducted by professional drivers.

Lastly, Filipino alternative rock band Hale will also perform their hit songs for a night of celebration. Admission is free to all the aforementioned activities.

“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,” TMP Assistant Vice President for Marketing Services Andy Ty noted.

“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,” he added.

The 2025 TGR Philippine Cup’s first race weekend will be broadcasted live starting at 8:30 a.m. that day on the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippines Facebook and YouTube pages.

Also read:

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Toyota PH announces return of Vios Cup, GT Cup this year