The 4-time national champion of Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) GT Cup Malaysia has been crowned as the overall winner of GT Cup Asia. Taj Izrin Aiman trumped fellow e-sports racers from Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia including last year’s champion Andika Rama.
Aiman finished with 65 points, followed by Rama’s 57, and in third place is Moreno Pratama with 48 points who’s also from Indonesia. They received cash prizes of USD 8,000, USD 4,500, and USD 3,000 respectively. It will be Aiman’s first time in the TGR GT Cup Global Finals while it will be Rama’s second.
“From mastering iconic tracks that reflect real-world conditions to integrating insights from actual motorsports, the skill level on display from all participants is impressive.” said Panat Leelavansuk, Toyota Motor Asia General Manager for Vehicle Design Engineering. “I’m thrilled to witness the passion and dedication of today’s youth, who are shaping the future of e-sports, as showcased in this year’s GAZOO Racing GT Cup Asia. Congratulations to all the winners—your talent is setting new benchmarks for competitive gaming!”
Country Championships were also awarded with first place and USD 8,000 going to Indonesia as their drivers amassed a total of 139 points. At 2nd place and USD 4,500 is Malaysia with 121 points, while Thailand got USD 3,000 for their 72 points.
Last year’s second placer and representative to the Global Finals, Philippines’s own Luis Moreno finished the event at 10th place. Enzo Ison is at 13th, while Russel Reyes managed to land at 7th and was given the Best Racecraft Award.
The participants raced on 3 iconic tracks in Gran Turismo 7 for this year. First was in Italy’s Sardegna Windmills which is TGR GT Cup Asia’s first rally track with the Toyota GR Yaris. Rama took the lead immediately and never looked back. Meanwhile, the drivers from Malaysia, Philippines, and Indonesia got into an intense battle at the halfway point. In the end, all drivers were within 30 seconds of each other.
Germany’s Nürburgring saw the drivers in the GR Corolla Morizo Edition ‘22. Things were made more exciting with the reverse grid only for the last race’s top 8 finishers. This put Indonesia’s Pratama in pole position. However, rain made its way onto the track that created a challenging situation for all drivers. There were many position changes in all segments of the field but Pratama was eventually able to secure his lead and ended up as the winner, followed by 2 Malaysian drivers.
The last race put the drivers in Toyota GR010 Hybrid ‘21 – Toyota’s 3-time LeMans winner. They took that to Japan’s Fuji International Speedway that’s known for its long straight and tricky last sector. It was an intense battle from the start for Indonesia’s Pratama and Malaysia’s Iqbal Suji who battled for 4th place. It was a dogfight for most of the race but Pratama ultimately made a crucial overtake in the final laps of the race to secure his spot.
The same story goes for the third race, with multiple drivers spinning out and getting penalties. Meanwhile, Aiman had a solid performance thanks to his tires. He opted for soft tires from the beginning while the rest of the field had a safe choice in the mediums. This, and a well-timed pit stop gave him the win and the necessary points to be the overall winner.
“I’m truly at a loss for words. Although I faced technical difficulties and couldn’t finish the race last year, I’m overwhelmed with pride that my dedication and training have paid off, leading to a victory at the TGR GT Cup Asia 2024,” said an emotional Aiman. “I’m excited to continue training with Andika Rama as we prepare for the Global Cup in Amsterdam. A heartfelt thank you to Toyota Motor Asia for this incredible opportunity!”
“I’m honored to be representing Asia once again this year! Competing against Taj Aiman was an incredible challenge—he’s an exceptional competitor. I pushed myself to the limit, but his consistency and strategy across all three races were unmatched. I’m excited to have him as a teammate as we prepare for the Global Finals, and I can’t wait to make Asia proud,” said Andika Rama, who’s representing Asia for the second time this year.
Special awards were also given to stellar drivers. As mentioned earlier, Philippines’ own Russell Reyes received the Best Racecraft award. Taj Izrin Aiman was awarded Driver of the Day, while Andika Rama got Fastest Race Pace.
“The heart of Toyota, and GAZOO Racing GT Cup Asia has always been about fostering a community of excellence rooted in our Japanese practice of Kaizen, or Continuous Improvement. In this fifth edition, it is inspiring to witness not only the ongoing enthusiasm from our drivers and supporters but also the technological advancements driven by e-Motorsports. We’re excited to contribute to this growth in the region as racers showcase exceptional talent and help shape the future of e-motorsports,” said Toyota Motor Asia General Manager Jaja Ishibashi. “A heartfelt congratulations to all the racers for their remarkable performance today, and all the best to Aiman and Rama as they advance to the Global Finals!”
The Toyota Gazoo Racing GT Cup Global Finals will happen on December 6 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
