- Enzo Ison, Russel Reyes, and Michael Velasquez will represent Team Philippines in Bangkok.
- Ison and Reyes won their respective classes, while Velasquez secured the third Team Philippines slot.
- The trio will compete against sim racers from across Asia on November 14 to 15, 2026
October 1, 2026 – Enzo Ison, Russel Reyes, and Michael Velasquez are set to represent the Philippines at the 2026 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Asia Esports GT Championship in Bangkok, Thailand, after emerging as the top performers at the National Finals of the 2026 TGR Philippines Esports GT Championship.
Held on September 27 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, the National Finals featured the top 10 Sporting Class and top 10 Junior Class racers selected from more than 400 sim racers who joined the qualifiers. The finalists went head-to-head in Gran Turismo across four races featuring different Toyota vehicles and tracks.
Meet Team Philippines
The National Finals produced the following podium finishers:
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
The three representatives heading to Bangkok are Junior Class champion Enzo Ison, Sporting Class champion Russel Reyes, and Sporting Class runner-up Michael Velasquez.
Four Races, One Shot at the Title
Competitors in both categories faced four challenging rounds, taking on different Toyota vehicles and tracks.
The races featured the GR Corolla at Interlagos in Brazil, the GR Yaris at Sardegna Windmills, the GR Supra at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain, and the GR010 Hybrid at the Nürburgring in Germany.
Changing weather conditions during the third and fourth races added another layer of challenge, testing the racers’ consistency, strategy, and ability to adapt.
Ison Dominates the Junior Class
Enzo Ison delivered a strong performance throughout all four rounds.
He started with pole position at Interlagos and maintained the lead through Race 1. At Sardegna Windmills, he fought back from fifth place on the reverse grid, reaching second by the fourth lap before winning a close three-car battle against Samuel Rey Icalia and Chester Jordan Ilog.
At Barcelona, Ison stayed composed through multiple track spins and led every lap to secure a 17-second victory.
The Nürburgring presented another challenge after a missed turn dropped him to eighth while Ilog built a 10-second lead. Ison fought his way back to the front by the fourth lap and eventually won by 54 seconds.
Reyes Leads the Sporting Class
Sporting Class Champion Russel Reyes
The Sporting Class featured an intense battle between Russel Reyes and Luis Antonio Moreno.
Reyes held off Moreno’s final-corner attack at Interlagos before delivering another strong defensive drive in the closing lap at Barcelona.
At Sardegna Windmills, Michael Velasquez took advantage of the reverse grid to lead from the opening lap. Reyes climbed from fifth to second but was unable to make the final pass.
In the final Nürburgring race, Victor Ancheta moved into the lead late in the first lap and built a 10-second advantage through an extended pit strategy. A penalty later dropped him to sixth, allowing Reyes to retake the lead and finish 17 seconds ahead 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.
From National Champions to Team Philippines
Sporting Class 2nd Placer Michael Velasquez
As champions of their respective classes, Ison and Reyes each received PHP 100,000 and secured slots in the Asia Finals.
Velasquez, who finished second in the Sporting Class and recorded the third-highest overall points, earned the final Team Philippines slot and received PHP 75,000.
“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.
For Ison, 16, the upcoming Asia Finals will mark his third time representing the Philippines. He previously competed in the Asia Finals in 2024 and 2025, while also winning the Junior Class at the Philippine National Finals in 2022 and 2023.
“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,” said Ison.
Reyes, 25, is also an Asia Finals veteran, having represented the Philippines in 2022, 2023, and 2024. He was the overall Philippine National Finals champion in 2023.
“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,” Reyes shared.
For Velasquez, the upcoming competition will be his first Asia Finals appearance.
“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,” he said.
Ison, Reyes, and Velasquez will take on sim racers from across the region at the TGR Asia Esports GT Championship in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 14 to 15, 2026.
Filipino motorsports fans can support Team Philippines 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.