Zigwheels PH’s premiere Ignition Z sim racing event a ‘huge success’

MANILA: A resounding success enveloped Zigwheels Philippines’ first-ever Ignition Z sim racing tournament.

Held at the cozy and immersive Monza Barcade in The View Deck, Arcovia City, Pasig, the event saw a healthy turnout of enthusiastic racers, OEM executives, influencers, and content creators.

With most of those at the venue trying their hands on the Fantech sim racing rigs, the atmosphere at the event was intense — starting from the qualifiers all the way to the finals — which kept both participants and spectators on the edge of their seats.

The exciting event was also made possible with the help of BDO Auto Loan that fueled guests and participants to take part in the sim racing event last October 15.

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Here are the podium finishers of the first-ever Ignition Z:

•     P1 - Michael Velasquez
•     P2 - Audric Fernando
•     P3 - Alonso Marcus Lacambra

That night, all three winners took home custom-made medals, DDPAI dashcams, and official racing merchandise. Velasquez — who blazed through the final rounds and leading others across the checkered flag — bagged the P10,000-grand prize.

Quick showdown with country’s best in e-sports

In between the heart-pounding sim racing stages, the organizers also provided an opportunity for participants to try their hand at facing guest pro racers Luis Moreno of Legion of Racers (LOR) and young karting prodigy Axel Nocom.

Moreno is a veteran sim racer who recently represented the Philippines in the Asia-Pacific Motorsports Championship. At the said event, he attained a silver medal in the E-Sports Category.

Meanwhile, Nocom — likewise a member of the Philippine Team at the Asia-Pacific Motorsports Championship — is a gold medalist in the Karting Sprint Category.

Emerging in the top spot for the quick showdown with the pro racers was Kimi Manalo after a stirring wheel-to-wheel battle.

For those who missed it, the tournament was conducted via the popular sim racing game rFactor’s faithfully-recreated digital version of Willow Springs International Motorsports Park in California, USA.

 “We couldn’t have built this track without the unwavering commitment of key partners. A sincere thank you to our co-presenters, BDO Auto Loan and Monza Barcade,” Zigwheels Philippines Chief Executive Officer Ramjit Lahiri said.  

“BDO Auto Loan, your trust in this vision accelerates our ability to connect passion with finance, bridging dreams and reality for countless Filipino drivers. And to Monza Barcade, you have been the ideal co-driver, helping us craft this premium, competitive environment. These aren’t just sponsorships; they are strategic alliances built on a belief in a unified, forward-moving car culture,” Lahiri added.

Beyond a sim racing tournament, the Ignition Z is a landmark event for Zigwheels Philippines, representing the acceleration of the company’s vision to become an integral part of driving the Philippine automotive industry to new heights.

Lahiri vowed that the next Ignition Z is set to go up a notch — hinting a grander scale of what transpired recently.

As a premier source for up-to-date specs, expert reviews, and informative content for Filipino car buyers and enthusiasts, Zigwheels Philippines (alongside its sister brand Carmudi Philippines, both under CarDekho Southeast Asia) is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between virtual adrenaline and real-world car culture.

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