Insider Spotlight
Race Weekend 2 will be held from July 9 to 11 at the Clark International Speedway in Mabalacat, Pampanga. It marks the second of four race weekends scheduled for the 2026 season after the racing series was placed on hold in March.
Why it matters
The revival underscores Toyota’s strategy of using competitive motorsports to evaluate cleaner mobility technologies under extreme operating conditions, supporting the company’s broader push toward decarbonization without relying on a single technology pathway.
The racing event will utilize low-carbon biofuels in its Vios OMR and Tamaraw OMR one-make race cars. Specifically, Toyota will test a 5 percent coco-biodiesel blend (B5) and a 20 percent bio-ethanol blend (E20), allowing engineers to assess performance, efficiency and reliability in demanding race environments.
The bigger picture
The TGR Philippine Cup has been running since 2014 as Toyota’s flagship local motorsports program. Earlier this year, the opening race weekend at Riverpark in Cavite attracted more than 6,000 spectators and introduced the Tamaraw Racing Class featuring the locally manufactured Tamaraw one-make race car.
Toyota said the latest race weekend aligns with its efforts to promote fuel flexibility. Three-quarters of Toyota and Lexus gasoline models sold by the company are already compatible with E20 fuel, while all Toyota diesel models support B5 biodiesel.
What they’re saying
“Motorsports has always been a testbed for progress, and this season, TGR Philippines will take a step forward by actively exploring alternative fuels in competitive racing conditions," Toyota Motor Philippines first vice president for vehicle sales operations Elijah Marcial said.
"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 added.
Toyota Motor Philippines vice president for government and industry affairs Elvin Luciano said, “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-renewables like petroleum, so using biofuel 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,” Luciano said.
Race Weekend 2 will remain open to the public on July 11, with free admission. —Daxim L. Lucas | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
