Toyota GR PH Cup 2026 to serve as 'rolling lab' for biofuel testing

MANILA: The second race weekend of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup 2026 will serve as a platform to test the use of low-carbon biofuels in race vehicles.

According to Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP), the event—which will take place this Saturday (July 11)—offers a unique opportunity to push vehicles to their limits using a five-percent coco-biodiesel blend (B5) and a 20-percent bioethanol blend (E20) in the one-make race vehicles, namely the Tamaraw OMR and Vios OMR.

TMP First Vice President for Vehicle Sales Operations Elijah Marcial said the event will actively explore alternative fuels under competitive racing conditions, noting that motorsports has always been a testbed for progress.

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"Testing biofuels in motorsports allows us to evaluate performance, efficiency, and reliability in high-demand environments, so this will be a pivotal moment for the wider adoption of low-carbon biofuels in the Philippines," Marcial said.

For his part, TMP Vice President for Government and Industry Affairs Elvin Luciano said the latest initiative would further the company's efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

"As a company committed to reducing carbon emissions, we recognize that every activity must contribute meaningfully to a more sustainable future. Alternative fuels help reduce dependency on non-renewable energy sources like petroleum, so using biofuels for our motorsports events aligns with our multi-pathway approach, which includes diversifying our energy sources to contribute to our broader goal of carbon neutrality," he said.

Demonstrating its commitment to fuel flexibility, three-fourths of Toyota and Lexus gasoline-powered models are already E20-compatible, while all Toyota diesel models are B5-compatible.

Last March, the Tamaraw Racing Class made its debut when the utility vehicle's one-make race version hit the track.

Lastly, the TGR Philippine Cup 2026 Race Weekend 2 will remain open to the public.

The event is presented by Official Tire Partner GT Radial, Official Engine Oil Partners Petron RevX and Petron Blaze Racing, and Official Partner TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Academy. It is conducted in cooperation with MOMO Italy, PIAA, Sparco Philippines, Toyota Financial Services Philippines, Autoplus, ROTA, and VARTA.

Moreover, the event is supported by 3M, AVT, QUAD, myToyota Wallet, OMP, Tuason Racing Sports Unlimited, Brakes by AutoPerformance, Denso, and GENCHEM. Contributing sponsors include Aguila Auto Glass, Kinto One, and AutoQuix.

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