Toyota GR Asia Esports GT Championship 2026 Finals returns to Malaysia for 3rd time

MANILA: Expect exciting virtual wheel-to-wheel action as the Toyota Gazoo Racing Asia Esports GT Championship 2026 Finals return to Kuala Lumpur this week.

This marks the third time Malaysia will host the event, which will bring together familiar names and emerging talents from the online racing community. They will go head-to-head across three races, competing for individual and team honors, as well as a share of the nearly P2-million ($31,000) prize pool.

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Representing the Philippines in the e-motorsport event are the country's three top finishers in the 2026 TGR Asia Esports GT Championship:

• Russel Reyes: Competed in the Asia Regional Finals in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
• Enzo Ison: Participated in the 2024 and 2025 editions.
• Michael Velasquez: Making his debut in the regional competition.

The three racers emerged victorious from the 20 sim racers who advanced to the qualifiers coming from the 400 drivers who joined the local event.

The Filipino trio will also attempt to wrest the title from the following former champions:

• Indonesia's Andika Rama: Champion in 2023 and 2025.
• Malaysia's Taj Aiman: 2024 regional champion.
• Singapore's Ar Muhammad Aleef: 2020 champion.

“The Asia Finals bring together talented drivers from across the region, united by their passion for racing,” Toyota Motor Asia Vice President Preston Tan said.

“We are thrilled to bring the competition back to Malaysia, where former champions and emerging talent will compete alongside one another. We have also been especially encouraged to see drivers from previous editions go on to compete in real-world motorsport, and even on bigger stages such as the Asian Games, a testament to how the championship can be a genuine pathway into the sport. Through e-Motorsports, we hope to continue creating more opportunities for people to experience the excitement of racing and inspire the next generation of motorsport fans.”

New contenders join the fray

Joining the three returning Filipino competitors are five newcomers. Among them are Jirat Pakjilayuwat of Thailand, Stanislas Yuveardhitra of Indonesia, and Malaysia's Nabil Azlan and Ethen Low.

In addition, each participating market will field one driver aged 18 or younger, giving younger competitors an opportunity to test their skills against experienced regional contenders.

The following drivers will compete in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Asia Esports GT Championship 2026 Finals:

Drivers' list

Country	Drivers
Thailand	Thanaphat Pungphat; Maijukkree Areekijseree; Jirat Pakjilayuwat (Asia Finals debut)
Malaysia	Taj Aiman (2024 champion); Nabil Azlan (Asia Finals debut); Ethen Low (Asia Finals debut)
Singapore	Ar Muhammad Aleef (2020 champion); Fadtris Isa; Jayden Liaw
Indonesia	Moreno Pratama; Stanislas Yuveardhitra (Asia Finals debut); Andika Rama (2023 and 2025 champion)
Philippines	Russel Reyes; Enzo Ison; Michael Velasquez (Asia Finals debut)

Tracks, cars and prizes

A total of 15 drivers will compete for points across three races, using three different cars.

The competition will kick off at Grand Valley – Highway 1, featuring the 2018 Gr.3 GR Supra Racing Concept. This will be followed by a race at the Nürburgring GP circuit using the 2020 GR Yaris RZ "High Performance."

The final race will take place at Fuji Speedway, where drivers will maneuver the 2023 SF23 Super Formula/Toyota.

Drivers will earn points based on their finishing positions, with 25 points awarded for first place, 20 for second and 16 for third. Points will also be awarded to drivers finishing as low as 15th place.

An additional two-point bonus will be awarded for the fastest lap, giving competitors another opportunity to gain an edge.

Check out the points system for the Toyota Gazoo Racing Asia Esports GT Championship 2026:

Award	Basis
Individual	Cumulative points earned across all races participated in
Country	Total points earned by all participants representing the country

At the regional finals, the winners will receive the following prizes:

Placement	Individual	Team
Champion	$8,000 (around P506,000)	$8,000
First runner-up	$4,500 (approximately P285,000)	$4,500
Second runner-up	$3,000 (nearly P190,000)	$3,000

In addition, special trophies will be presented for Best Race Craft, Rookie of the Day and Driver of the Day.

Also read:

Here are the overall winners of the 2026 TGR PH Cup

Expect more thrills at 2026 Toyota GR PH Cup season finale next week

Here are the racers who will join the 2026 Toyota GR PH Esports GT Championship

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