Enzo Ison, Russel Reyes and Michael Velasquez will be representing the Philippines at the 2026 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Asia Esports GT Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, after rising above the field at the National Finals of the 2026 TGR Philippines Esports GT Championship.
The National Finals, held last September 27 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, brought together the top 10 Sporting Class and top 10 Junior Class players, chosen from more than 400 sim racers who joined the qualifiers. The finalists competed against each other in Gran Turismo, where they went head-to-head in different cars and tracks over four races.
Below are the podium finishers of the National Finals:
| Junior Class | ||
| Champion | Enzo Ison | 130.5 Points |
| 2nd Place | Chester Jordan Ilog | 85 Points |
| 3rd Place | Luth Ifamy | 76.5 Points |
| Sporting Class | ||
| Champion | Russel Reyes | 130.5 Points |
| 2nd Place | Michael Velasquez | 93.5 Points |
| 3rd Place | Luis Antonio Moreno | 84 Points |
Competitors in both categories navigated four grueling rounds, taking the wheel of distinct Toyota vehicles across various tracks: maneuvering the GR Corolla around the real world Autódromo de Interlagos in Brazil, powering the GR Yaris through the fictional dirt track Sardegna Windmills, steering the GR Supra across the technical Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain, and pushing the GR010 Hybrid to its limits on the challenging Nürburgring in Germany. Drivers faced unpredictable weather conditions in the third and fourth races, transforming the final legs into intense trials of grit and vehicle mastery.
In the Junior Class, Enzo Ison put on a dominant display throughout all four rounds. Ison secured pole position at Interlagos in Race 1, where he commanded the lead all the way to the checkered flag. Navigating the reverse grid from 5th position at Sardegna Windmills in Race 2, he climbed to P2 by the fourth lap before prevailing in a thrilling three-car battle against Samuel Rey Icalia and Chester Jordan Ilog for the victory. During a heated leg in Barcelona, Ison maintained composure amidst track spins, leading every lap to secure a convincing 17-second triumph. Facing adversity at the Nürburgring after a miscalculated turn relegated him to P8 while Ilog opened a 10-second advantage. Ison launched a fierce comeback, reclaiming the top position in lap four to win by 54 seconds.
Meanwhile, the Sporting Class action delivered an exhilarating showdown between Russel Reyes and Luis Antonio Moreno. Reyes thwarted Moreno’s dramatic final-corner strike at Interlagos, followed by another masterclass in defensive driving in the closing lap in Barcelona. In Race 2 at Sardegna Windmills, Michael Velasquez capitalized on the reverse grid matrix to hold the front position from the opening lap, while Reyes carved his way from P5 to P2 but fell short of overtaking. In the final leg at the Nürburgring, Victor Ancheta surged ahead late in lap one and built a 10-second cushion via an extended pit strategy, only for a penalty to demote him to P6, allowing Reyes to regain control and cross the line 17 seconds clear of the field.
“It was inspiring to see our finalists push themselves lap after lap at the National Finals. The enthusiasm around sim racing in the country keeps growing, and it shows how many Filipinos share the thrill and joy of motorsports,” shared TMP Senior Vice President for Marketing Division Sherwin Chua-Lim.
Ison and Reyes each received a cash prize of PHP 100,000 and a slot in the Asia Finals as the champions of their respective classes. As the runner up with the higher number of points, Velasquez from the Sporting Class secured his spot as the third representative in Team Philippines and received a PHP 75,000 cash prize.
“To Enzo, Russel, and Michael, we wish you the best of luck as you carry the Philippine flag in Bangkok. We are behind you as you go out there and push the limits for better,” Chua-Lim added.
Asked about how they feel about winning the National Finals and representing the Asia Finals, Ison, 16, shared, “I feel really great and thankful for winning in the Junior Class and having the chance to represent the country for the third time. The preparations that we made for this have certainly paid off once again. This year, we will train harder than ever to get the best results for the Asia Finals.”
Ison previously represented the Philippines in the Asia Finals in 2024 and 2025. He finished second overall in the Philippine National Finals in 2025 and 2024 and was the Junior Class champion in 2023 and 2022. He also currently races in the Tamaraw Class of the TGR Philippine Cup under the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Philippines Team.
“I feel really great about winning the Sporting Class this year. I felt like I had improved from how I was when I previously joined. Being gone for a year gave me a chance to reset and rethink how I race. I think this played a huge role in securing the win. I’m also honored to be one of the drivers to represent the Philippines in the Asia Regional finals. I feel very comfortable and prepared to race against other nations, after learning from my many mistakes from the past. I can feel that I am a stronger sim racer than ever,” shared Reyes, 25.
Reyes, another Asia Finals veteran, represented the Philippines in 2024, 2023 and 2022. He placed third overall in the Philippine National Finals in 2024, was the overall champion in 2023, and the Sporting Class runner-up in 2022.
Meanwhile, first-time Asia Finals participant Velasquez shared, “It’s an honor to represent Team Philippines after finishing P2 in Sporting Class and the third most overall points in the TGR Philippines GT Esports Championship 2026. I’m really ecstatic to work together alongside Russel and Enzo and I look forward to us learning from each other and growing as a team.”
Ison, Reyes and Michael will face sim racers from across the region at the TGR Asia Esports GT Championships in Bangkok, Thailand on November 14 to 15, 2026.
Filipino motorsports fans can show their support for Team Philippines as they take on the region’s top sim racers by watching the Asia Finals livestream on the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Philippines Facebook Page.
For more information on the TGR Philippines Esports GT Championship and other TGR Philippines products and events, follow TGR Philippines on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and YouTube.
