Iñigo Anton scores SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines hat-trick at BRC

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Iñigo Anton scores SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines hat-trick at BRC

Reigning champion Iñigo Anton proved that he’s still the man to beat in the 2023 SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines after a dominant performance at the Batangas Racing Circuit (BRC). The 19-year-old qualified on pole and went on to win all 3 races in Round 2 held last September 23/24, securing his position at the top of the points standings.

Fueled by race-engineered SEAOIL Extreme-97 fuel with STP additives, the grid of Radical SR1s again pushed each driver to their limits around the 3.500 km track. It also became a battle of the young blood with Iñigo, Joaquin ‘Wakkeen’ Garrido, and Miguel Quiñones fighting at the front. They were joined by series newcomer Juancho Brobio in the #5 SEAOIL-liveried SR1 who impressed on his debut.

Aiming to defend his title in 2023, Iñigo bounced back from a lackluster season opener. His reign of dominance began on Saturday morning as he notched the fastest time in Qualifying with a 1:38.760 lap in his #33 black-and-red liveried SR1, earning him pole position. He was so far ahead that his closest-rival was a full 2.088 secs a lap slower.

Iñigo later converted his pole into a lights-to-flag victory during Race 1 that afternoon. He never give his opponents an inch and proceeded to open up a 9.899 secs advantage over Wakkeen of PartsPro Racing by the time the chequered flag dropped. In 3rd place was DRQ Motorsports driver Miguel Quiñones who completed the podium.

A reverse grid start for Race 2 on Sunday morning gave Juancho pole position in the 12-lap fixture. Unfortunately, the rookie driver was unable to capitalize on the opportunity and ended up outside the podium. The race then became a repeat of Friday with Iñigo again taking 1st place. He had so much pace that he set a new SR1 record with a 1:38.605 lap. Wakkeen and Miguel, on the other hand, rounded out the results in 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

As Sunday afternoon rolled in for the 3rd and final 12-lap race, Iñigo was ready to complete the sweep. His pole position start aided in securing a hat-trick with another dominant lights-to-flag win. Wakkeen finished 2nd once again while Juancho earned his first-ever Radical Challenge Philippines podium in 3rd, edging out Miguel in the #45 DRQ Motorsports SR1 in 4th.

“In the fast-paced world of racing, it’s really the young drivers who redefine limits and chase dreams with relentless determination. SEAOIL is proud to support these rising stars, where the finish line is just the beginning of their extraordinary journeys. Together, we fuel the future of speed and excellence. Looking forward to the remaining races of the SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines 2023,” shared Edward Cruz, Head of B2C Segment Marketing for SEAOIL Philippines, Inc.

Anton is hopeful that he can carry his strong momentum to the next round in the hopes of winning the title back-to-back. That opportunity comes on the 27th to 29th of October as the country’s fastest racing series heads back to the Clark International Speedway (CIS) for Round 3.

The 2023 SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines is powered by race-engineered SEAOIL Extreme-97 fuel with STP additives, sponsored by Kumu, Kooler, and Porsche Design Manila.

Bern Corpino seals Senior championship in epic Rok GP title showdown

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Bern Corpino seals Senior championship in epic Rok GP title showdown

Would you believe that after only 6 months since the 2023 Rok GP Super Karting Series began, Senior Class debutant Bern Corpino is now crowned champion. The 15-year-old went on to win 5 out of 6 rounds this year with the title fight going all the way down to the wire last September 9/10 at the Carmona Race Track (CRT).

Coming from a Clark Night Race surrounded in controversy, Bern was fired up for the season ender wanting to prove to his detractors that he can win the championship no matter what they throw at him. But as its schedule clashed with the TGR Vios Cup, he had to miss a day of racing in touring cars and jump straight into the Rok GP double header weekend with virtually zero practice.

Still, he performed well on Saturday and only marginally trailed his closest-rival Miguel Quiñones into the Time Trials and Qualifying Heat 1. He finally got into his rhythm by Heat 2 and left the competition in his wake to cross the finish line 3.354 secs ahead of everyone else. With only 58 points between them, Bern came under attack from the defending Senior Class champion during the Finals. Their battle lasted the entire 15-laps where Bern managed to keep Miguel at bay and win by 0.875 secs.

Although he was able to stretch his lead by 5 points, Bern knew that the smallest misstep could still cost him the title. He began Sunday’s proceedings by setting the fastest lap in the Time Trials and pipped Miguel by 0.002 seconds. Driving the #19 machine of VS Racing, the 15-year-old then kept his head down to win both Heats to start on pole in the Finals. All he had to do now was to drive a clean race and the title was his. But as luck would have it, Bern and Miguel clashed on the run to Turn 1 and caused the race to be red flagged.

It was now a do or die moment for Miguel at the restart with the pair again making contact. This time though the track remained green and was already too far to catch up when they rejoined in dead last. Although finishing 10th was not the conclusion Bern wanted, it was enough for the rookie to seal the 2023 Rok GP Senior Class title.

Bern Corpino: “It feels surreal to win the title. Coming into this season, we knew it was going to be a close one, but I wasn’t expecting to win 5 out of the 6 races. It was an amazing season overall, plenty of good battles and fair racing despite some setbacks. I just focused on myself and never backed down. First and foremost, thank you to our Lord God for the safe races this year and for guiding me through this successful Senior year. Big thank you to my loving parents, thank you to VS Racing and the Suba family, my mechanic Jomar, Mang Sonny, the rest of the crew, and to my teammates that supported me always.”

Bern Corpino is sponsored by Extra Joss. For more info and the latest updates, follow Bern Corpino Racing on Facebook.

[Photos by Bong Boado]

TGR Vios Cup 2023 title fight blown wide open after action-packed Rd. 2

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TGR Vios Cup 2023 title fight blown wide open after action-packed Rd. 2

It were the usual suspects fighting at the front of Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Vios Cup when it staged its 2nd event of the year last September 8/9 at the Clark International Speedway (CIS). However, the championship has been turned on its head after a number of title contenders had less than ideas results, with one missing out on a day’s worth of running completely.

This has blown the title fight wide open in the Super Sporting, Sporting, and Promotional Classes after Round 2.

Despite a DNF, Red Diwa of JBT Racing x Toyota Isabela has shot up to the top of the Super Sporting Class standings with his race win and podium. But only 4 points now separate the Top 4 drivers with John Dizon of JD Motorsports – Ribbon Arc, Joaquin ‘Wakkeen’ Garrido of Toyota North EDSA – Obengers, and Gerald Loy of R Racing Team hot on his heels.

Russel Cabrera of Toyota Team Cebu further stretches his points lead in the Sporting Class after another strong weekend ahead of Maila Alivia of JBT Racing x Toyota Isabela who keeps her position in 2nd. Meanwhile, Mikey Jordan, Jay Lao, Jiro Garbes, and his dad Darrel all moved up the standings after Bern Corpino of Toyota Balintawak – Obengers Racing opted to miss Saturday’s proceedings as the schedule clashed with the Rok GP Super Karting Series’ season finale. But it was all worth it after Bern secured the Senior Class title on his first attempt.

Toyota Team Cebu also leads the way in the Promotional Class with Jarond Mesina. His lead, however, has been halved after an unfortunate DNS on Saturday due to a broken driveshaft on Saturday. Alain Alonza of Toyota Gen San – Chooks-To-Go Racing is still his closest rival in 2nd, while Toyota Team Cebu x Edgesport teammate Paolo Ayo maintains his position in 3rd.

The 3rd and final round of the 2023 TGR Vios Cup will take place on the 10th/11th of November and will feature a new twist to spice up the championship. Instead of the usual 3 races, news from the grapevine indicates that the weekend will feature 2 sprints events and an endurance, which will be a first in the TGR Vios Cup’s history. No details have been released yet, but it should be either a 1- or 2-hour race complete with fuel stops and tire changes.

[Photo by Matt Romualdez]

Kraige Berdos takes MiniRok title on 2023 Rok GP Super Karting Series debut

Koby Del Rosario
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Kraige Berdos takes MiniRok title on 2023 Rok GP Super Karting Series debut

A dramatic end to the 2023 Rok GP Super Karting Series saw Kraige Berdos crowned as MiniRok Expert champion last September 9/10 at the Carmona Race Track (CRT). It was a weekend riddled with engine issues and unexpected scrutineering checks, yet the 11-year-old managed to overcome all these challenges to take the crown for Mercedes Young Driver Development Philippines (Mercedes YDDP).

The 4th and final round of the season pushed Kraige to his limits, especially when he had to make up for an 14 point deficit against teammate and 3-time MiniRok champion Axel Nocom. It also didn’t help that he had to run the team’s practice engine during the race. But all these had little to no effect on the 11-year-old who had the championship in his sights.

He was able to keep pace with his teammates during the early Warm Up sessions and clocked the 2nd quickest time with a 1:06.659. Driving the #99 Mercedes-AMG F1-liveried kart, he repeated the feat by notching the 3rd best time in the Time Trials with a 1:07.057 proving that the practice engine was no slouch after all.

Impressively, Kraige took an early lead in Heat 1 and held position over the course of 5 laps. He was only pipped for the win on the very last lap by his fellow Mercedes YDDP karter Lucas Aldave resulting in a photo finish with Kraige missing out on 1st place by 0.033 secs.

Although this allowed him to slash 5 points off Axel’s lead in the standings, the cancellation of Heat 2 due to poor weather conditions meant that the title will go down to the wire in the Finals. If he takes the win and Axel finishes no higher than 4th, the MiniRok Expert championship is his.

This time though, team finally switched to the race engine to give Kraige the best shot at the title. However, it appeared that it wasn’t the right decision to make as the new engine was bogging down the straights. From P2 at the start he lost ground to the leaders lap after lap and saw the championship begin to slip away as he fell back to P6. Refusing to give up, Kraige kept himself composed and soldiered on until his engine later sorted itself out, giving him the opportunity to fight back. He immediately regained 2 places and set successively quick laps to catch up to the leaders. Unfortunately he ran out of laps and crossed the finish line in 4th.

In an expected twist of fate, several drivers were later disqualified after a sudden post-race inspection which included his closest rival Axel Nocom. While bittersweet for the team, Kraige would officially be classified 2nd overall in the Finals thus earning him the title of Rok GP Super Karting Series’ 2023 MiniRok Expert Class Champion.

A testament to their hard work, skill, and dedication, Mercedes YDDP favors no drivers as long as they put in the effort and seat time. This is best demonstrated by Kraige who bravely contested in the MiniRok Expert category despite it being his rookie year in the class and beat his teammate fair and square.

Kraige Berdos credits his achievement to Mercedes Young Driver Development Philippines, team tuner Richard Peek, and mechanics Ralph Parreno, Christian Dela Cruz, and Albert Parungao. It also wouldn’t have been possible without Team Principal Rommero Alojado and the Nocom family.

[Photos by Bong Boado]

SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines back on track for Round 2 at BRC

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SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines back on track for Round 2 at BRC

5 lights go out on the 22nd/24th of September as the country’s fastest racing series hits the Batangas Racing Circuit (BRC) for Round 2 of the SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines.

Powered by SEAOIL Extreme-97 octane fuel, the grid full of Radical SR1s will once again be composed of last round’s podium finishers. They will be joined by series newcomer Juancho Brobio who’s set to drive the yellow-and-blue liveried SEAOIL Radical SR1. Juancho is a relative newcomer to motorsports, but already has extensive experience under his belt driving different types of machinery. He has entered time attack events, competed in Philippine GT200, and tested with Formula V1. This will be a one-off outing for Juancho who is eyeing a full-time drive next season.

Driving for PartPro Racing x Porsche Design Manila, Joaquin Garrido earned his first-ever win in Radical Challenge on his debut race. He fought fought neck-and-neck with reigning champion Iñigo Anton throughout the 12-lap fixture to secure victory. Iñigo came 2nd, while multiple-time karting champion and Radical Challenge rookie Miguel Quiñones completed the podium.

With a reverse grid start, an eventful Race 2 saw the trio swap finishing positions. Joaquin and Iñigo were both involved in several race incidents that allowed Miguel to swoop in and take the lead with Joaquin crossing the line in 2nd and Iñigo in 3rd.

(From left) Mike Consenheim, Radical Cars Philippines President; Hans Yao, Managing Director of Washington Group and the Adrenaline Group; and Enrique Hormillo, Radical Cars Philippines Marketing Director.

Co-presenting the 2023 season is Porsche Design Manila. The brand stands for ‘engineered passion’ as its products are made with precision, perfection, and innovation. Founded by Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche in 1972, the goal was to always release merchandise inspired by Porsche cars. As the lifestyle brand of the Porsche group, Porsche Design has always at the center of the driving world.

The partnership began last year where Porsche Design Manila gradually entered the growing Philippine scene.

The brand is grateful to Radical Cars Philippines as Hans Yao, Managing Director of Washington Group and the Adrenaline Group, expressed, “We are happy to partner with Radical Car Philippines, who shares in our brand’s ideals of passion in all aspects of driving. We see this partnership as a great opportunity for us to ride with the growth of the driving and racing lifestyle for years to come.”

Round 2 of the 2023 SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines kicks off with Qualifying on Saturday morning, followed by Race 1 in the afternoon, and Races 2 and 3 on Sunday. Joaquin Garrido currently leads the standings with 43 points, followed by Miguel Quiñones with 40 points, and rounded out by Iñigo Anton with 33 points.

The 2023 SEAOIL Radical Challenge Philippines is powered by race-engineered SEAOIL Extreme-97 fuel with STP additives, sponsored by Kumu, Kooler, and Porsche Design Manila.

Points haul for Zach David at Monza as Euro 4 C’ship returns after summer break

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Points haul for Zach David at Monza as Euro 4 C’ship returns after summer break

Zachary David was thrilled to be back on track as the Euro 4 Championship resumed after a long summer break. And despite being away for 2 months, he was immediately on pace at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza last 16th/17th of September and collected a pair of Rookie podiums.

The Malta-based Filipino driver was seen on the sharp end of the field during Free Practice, which was good indication of what was to come from the weekend. He then managed to secure P5 during both Qualifying sessions giving him a good shot at a strong result.

Driving the #20 entry of US Racing, Zach bravely challenged for the lead on the run to the first corner of Race 1 and successfully came out in P2. But he came under attack from a battery of Prema Racing drivers and had to defend profusely for position whilst staying on course. He later found himself in P6 after 2 Safety Car periods and resumed his hunt for a podium position. However, his charge through the field was abruptly cut when a competitor turned into him and made contact. The damage was unfortunately enough to force him into retirement on lap 8.

Zach sided with caution at the start of Race 2 to ensure he survived the opening lap chaos and found himself in P6. Choosing his battles wisely, he would lose another spot before the Safety Car came out due a massive multi-car pileup at Turn 1. It then took ages to clear the track and only 7 minutes remained on the clock when the green flag was waived. This turned the race into a sprint to the chequered flag, but confusion ensued at the restart after a post marshal mistakenly waved a yellow flag. The Filipino driver saw the opportunity to move up several places and slotted into P4 and almost made it onto the podium. Although he crossed the line in 4th overall and 2nd in the Rookie Class, the official results are put on hold until the organizers resolve the matter caused by the earlier mixup.

Despite starting down in P15, Zach wanted to conclude the weekend on a high note and saved his best performance for Race 3. The 16-year-old was on attack mode right from the get go and gained 3 places on only the opening lap. He then proceeded to pick up positions throughout the race ’til he made it into P5. A late Safety Car period meant that the entire field had a single lap to decide the finishing order where Zach decided to make a lunge before the very last corner to finish 4th and secure 3rd in the Rookie category.

With provisional results, Zach David currently sits 6th overall in the standings and 4th amongst the Rookies. He now prepares for the return of the Italian F4 Championship on the 30th of September to 1st of October at Mugello, while the Euro 4 Championship’s next event will not take place until the end of October in Barcelona.

Zach David: “A positive experience for the first race back after the long summer break. Always special to race at Monza. Pace was more than there throughout the weekend, just small bits of bad luck prevented us from getting the result we deserved. Some podiums, good points collected, and an overall good showing means I’m more motivated for the last couple races this year. Looking forward for my next race in Mugello in a week’s time.”

Zach David is sponsored by Ceramic Pro, Ceramic Pro Express, Kavaca PPF, Stilo Helmets, Eeetwell, Attard Baldacchino, and Exoshield, with support from Petron Corporation, Ravenol, JG Summit Olefins Corporation, AlbertSmith Signs, Time Attack Manila, Everpower, FB Hout, Pet One Petfood, 3CX, and Malta Motorsports Federation.

For more info and the latest updates, follow ZachdavidRacing on Facebook and @zachdavidracing on Instagram.

[Photos courtesy of ACI Sport]

Ducati riders continue Pirelli Cup title fight at BRC in passionate fashion

Koby Del Rosario
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Ducati riders continue Pirelli Cup title fight at BRC in passionate fashion

Ducati Philippines inches their way closer towards clinching the 2023 titles in the Pirelli Cup after another strong performance during the penultimate round of the year. All clad in red, the Ducatisti raced their hearts out last September 2/3 at the Batangas Racing Circuit (BRC) to secure even more wins and podiums for the Italian marque.

Keeping An Eye On The Super A Prize A big highlight from the weekend was Jan Timbol, Justin Guce, and Tofu Guzman as they raced closer to Super A points leader Clyde Relativo who sits atop of the standings. The trio notched the best times during Qualifying that resulted an all-red front row starting grid.

Jan controlled the 7-lap race on Sunday morning with a battle brewing behind him. His teammate Justin almost stalled at the start and dropped from pole down to P7, but made a quick recovery as he climbed back up to P3 right before Turn 1. Justin then continued to push his Ducati Panigale V4 hard to catch up to his nearest rival. “I did my best to keep the pressure on Clyde who was in P2 at the time before he crashed going into the chicane,” he shared.

He later caught up to Jan with the pair crossing the finish line split by only 0.207 secs. Tofu ended in an impressive 3rd to complete a Ducati 1-2-3 finish in Super A allowing them to close the points gap.

It was almost an all-Ducati podium during the afternoon race yet again. Justin was on attack mode and almost made the holeshot at the start of Race 2. Although he led for most of the race and tried to breakaway from the back, fatigue later set in that robbed him of a win. “I experienced a massive arm pump making it hard for me to feel the brakes and the throttle properly as I was overtaken by Clyde on the last lap,” he recalls.

Still, it was a successful points haul for Justin with a 2nd place finish with Jan and Tofu following suit in 3rd and 4th, respectively.

The strong weekend for Ducati places Jan Timbol 2nd in the championship and only 10 points behind the leader. Justin Guce is only another 9 points away in 3rd , while Tofu Guzman is a distant 4th as he only rejoined halfway through the season.

Maintaining The Class Lead Further down the field Alvin Pullon, Ric Cruz, and Jade Regalario were able to maintain their points lead in their respective categories with yet another flawless performance.

Alvin was unchallenged in the Heavyweight B Class (HWB) as he rode to victory in both races. Scoring full points on the #7 Ducati Panigale V4, his lead now grows to 32 points in HWB. Meanwhile, Ric Cruz’s pair of race wins has mathematically secured him the Naked Class title with 1 round to spare. His #124 Streetfighter V4 lead fellow Naked Class rider Pong Lacson who sits 2nd in the standings with his Ducati Hypermotard RVE.

Adding to Ducati Philippines’ trophy haul was Jade Regalario. The Rookie Class rider has practically won every single race he has finished with his Panigale V4 and now comfortably leads in his category.

As the Ducatisti furthered their championship berth, 1 more round separates them from officially fulfilling their dream. The season finale of the Pirelli Cup will be on October 15/16 at the Clark International Speedway (CIS) as the red-clad riders prepare to pull all the stops possible in the final round of 2023.

Toyota Team Cebu continue winning ways as TGR Vios Cup 2023 passes halfway mark

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Toyota Team Cebu continue winning ways as TGR Vios Cup 2023 passes halfway mark

No matter what category you’re watching be it Super Sporting, Sporting, or Promotional, there was always a yellow-and-white liveried Vios OMR cup car fighting at the front during the second event of the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Vios Cup. Those where the entries of Toyota Team Cebu (TTC) that went home with 2 wins and 6 podiums last September 7/8 from the Clark International Speedway (CIS).

Super Sporting Class Ian Rosales and Team Captain Lord Seno were again flying the team colors at the sharp end of the field. They would start from P2 and P8 on the grid after a mixed Qualifying session and deliver TTC’s first podium of the weekend. Both managed to hold position during a hectic Race 1 on Friday with Ian hanging on to 2nd and Lord taking 8th across the line.

Ian could only do so much with a reverse grid start and a success ballast slowing him down in Race 2. Still, he was able to haul points with 5th place and his teammate in 9th. He would get another shot in Race 3 this time taking the lead on the run to the first corner. Driving the #69 car, Ian defended heavily as he came under attack but later conceded to ensure that he made it to the finish in 4th. Lord, on the other hand, enjoyed another trouble free run and collected 8th.

Sporting Class A sudden downpour wiped out TTC’s chances in Race 1. Several missteps unfortunately saw Russel Cabrera drop down to 7th after a stellar performance in Qualifying that put him on pole. Meanwhile, Alan Palacios was still adjusting to a new Vios OMR chassis, after his car was destroyed during the season opener, and settled for 8th.

Russel was eventually able to redeem himself with a flat out run in Race 2. Starting from P7, a quick getaway saw the 18-year-old make it up to P3 after only a few corners. He then picked off places one-by-one ’til he got into the race lead by lap 8 and held it until the flag dropped to win by a massive 4.290 secs. Alan was not too far behind driving the #44 black-and-yellow entry, gaining 5 spots to land in 3rd to share the podium with Russel.

The duo once again charged their way through the field in Race 3. It wasn’t easy though for Russel who was carrying 60 kg of success ballast in his #95 machine. Despite the handicap, he climbed from P6 at the start to make it to 2nd at the finish line. Alan was right behind and also made headway en route to another podium. However, a jumpstart earned him a 15 secs penalty and could only reach 6th.

Promotional Class Majority of TTC’s trophy haul came from Paolo Ayo and Jarond Mesina. Lining up in P1 and P3, they ran nose-to-tail in a rain-soaked Race 1 with Jarond finishing 2nd and Paolo in 3rd.

Driving the #31 orange-and-blue TTC x Edgesport Vios OMR, Paolo was able to gain several spots at the start of Race 2. He then tried to improve on his position but all his attempts were unsuccessful. Even if he was the fastest Promotional Class driver on track, he had to settle for 3rd. Jarond was not as lucky as he suffered a broken driveshaft during launch that forced him into park his #24 car on the sidelines.

Unwilling to go home empty-handed, Jarond went all out in Race 3 to make up for his earlier DNF. He went for every gap he saw and shot up from last on the grid to the class lead after only 1 lap. Jarond then continued on his heroic drive to take the class victory with a 5.330 secs lead. Paolo was also aiming for another podium, but was again bottled up behind a competitor. He was within striking distance when the chequered flag dropped earning him 4th across the line.

The 2023 season of the TGR Vios Cup is slated to conclude on the 10th/11th of November at the Clark International Speedway (CIS). But instead of simply awarding double points for the final, they’re making turning it into an Endurance Race to drive up the excitement.

Lord Seno, Team Captain: “Everyone at TTC did really well although we fell short of winning the team award in this leg. But the season is far from over. We all need to be up to speed and fighting for wins in the final leg in November. This is going to be a long and tough race weekend with the inclusion of an endurance race. Nevertheless, we have one more chance to prove that we are the best.”

Toyota Team Cebu is done in collaboration with MRA Auto Parts and Edgesport, sponsored by Toyota Mandaue South, Standard Insurance, Bethel Insurance, BG Injector Cleaner, Vian-Son Automotive Services Inc., Solane LPG, Suarez and Sons Inc., 3M Philippines, Marina Foods, Bully Concepts, S&N Builders, Staging Lanes, and Cebu Protrade Industrial Corporation.

[Photo by James Morales Jr]

Ryan Sy brings home Rok GP Junior Championship after dominant 2023 season

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Ryan Sy brings home Rok GP Junior Championship after dominant 2023 season

Winning 5 out of 6 rounds, Ryan Sy finally sealed the 2023 Rok GP Super Karting Series Junior Championship last September 9/10 in dominant fashion. The 13-year-old was victorious during the season finale at the Carmona Race Track (CRT) and brought home the crown.

It was a new beginning for the standout karter after signing with Formula E Racing Management at the start of 2023. However, the journey towards the 2023 Junior Class title was not easy for the young driver. Ryan shared that he had to overcome several challenges. He had to stay in top shape, improve his race craft, and handle pressure as there were high expectations from him being one of the faster drivers on the grid.

What helped Ryan stay mentally focused was the advice given to him by former Lotus F1 junior driver Marlon Stockinger, that he can be nice off the track, but should be aggressive on the track.

Perhaps his biggest hurdle in 2023 was overcoming a huge crash that occurred during the Clark International Speedway night race. His teammate collided with Ryan at speed and sent him into the wall. The impact was so severe that it damaged his helmet and sent Ryan to the hospital. Fortunately, he was able to escape with only minor injuries.

The DNF was also a huge blow to his title hopes as it allowed fellow Formula E Racing karter Luis Segundo to move into the points lead. Ryan knew he had to bounce back hard as he reminisced, “After the crash in Clark, although on the spot we were emotional and the thought of having to compete again in a more difficult track was uneasy, I knew that I couldn’t just stop or give up.”

Ryan knew that there was no room for error during the double header weekend at CRT. He kicked off Saturday’s proceeding by setting the fastest time during the Time Trials before winning both Heats 1 and 2 to secure pole position for the Finals. As the only Junior karter able to lap under 1-minute mark, he was untouchable. Ryan simply put his head down and breezed through 11 laps to secure a lights-to-flag victory with a commanding 5.481 secs lead.

He continued his pursuit for the 2023 championship on Sunday with another 1st place in the Time Trials. But he made an uncharacteristic mistake during Heat 1 and momentarily lost the lead to drop down to P3. Tapping into coach Elson’s advice of “being patient but aggressive at the same time,” Ryan eventually regained the lead to cross the finish in 1st place.

The cancellation of Heat 2 due to poor weather was a major setback as Ryan was still 8.5 points behind in the standings. This left him with no other option but to win the Finals if he wanted to secure the championship. Despite all the odds stacked against him, Ryan gave his heart out one last time in the final race of the 2023 season. After the lights turned green, he drove 11 perfect laps and took his #79 LN Racing Kart to victory lane with the Junior Class title in tow, winning the crown by a mere 4.5 points.

Ryan Sy: “It’s a feeling that can’t quite express in words. I felt a big relief after crossing the finish line knowing that I won the Junior championship. I can now put my crash in Clark behind me and prove my doubters wrong. I’d like to thank my parents for believing in me and motivating me throughout my karting journey, the Chan Family for all their support, coach Elson and Uncle Red for giving me the strength to drive, and uncle Theo for the season.”

Ryan Sy is supported by Formula E Racing Management in collaboration with PCRC. For more info and updates, Like the Ryan Sy Racing page on Facebook and follow @ryan_sy_racing on Instagram.

[Photos by Bong Boado]

11 drivers to represent the Philippines in the Asia Pacific Motorsport Championship 2023

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11 drivers to represent the Philippines in the Asia Pacific Motorsport Championship 2023

UPDATE (27 September 2023): AAP has provided an update that there is an 11th driver competing for the Philippines with the late addition of Arion Crosby in the Karting Sprint Cup’s Junior category.

The Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) has revealed 11 drivers who will race the flag at the inaugural Asia Pacific Motorsport Championship (APMC), which will be held in Malaysia later this month. They will compete in different motorsport categories against the best in the region over a 2-day event with the goal of bringing pride to the country.

Organized with the collaboration of the regional ASNs, the APMC was designed to allow countries to compete against each other at a lower cost. It’s also envisioned to be a stepping stone to help participants, teams, and drivers who aim to compete on an international level as it provides valuable exposure and experience that only an event of this scale can offer. The APMC follows regulations set by the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) and aligned with the FIA International Sporting Code.

The inaugural event will take place at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) from the 30th of September to the 1st of October and run 5 disciplines simultaneously.

4 drivers are competing in the Karting Sprint Cup. 11-year-old Axel Nocom will be the Philippines’ lone entry in Cadets, Arion Crosby in the Junior Category, while Miguel Quiñones and Ethan Ong will slug it out in the Senior Category.

As for the Karting Slalom Cup, teams must consist of 1 male and 1 female driver, represented by Joaquin ‘Wakkeen’ Garrido and Shaniah Quiñones.

The Philippine contingent in Auto Gymkhana Cup will see a reunion of Mark Bernales, Estefano Rivera, and Gabie Desales. The trio were able to deliver strong results when they teamed up in the Asia Auto Gymkhana Championship (AAGC) a few years back and hope to do the same in Malaysia.

Lastly, Iñigo Anton and Russel Reyes were able to earn slots in the E-Sport Cup after successfully qualifying in the online leaderboard event earlier this month.

All 10 were handpicked by the AAP as they have excelled in their respective disciplines in recent years. They are seasoned drivers who have proven to be capable of delivering wins or podiums whether on a local or international scale with some even being multi-time champions.

We wish them the best as they race the Philippine flag against 23 other APMC nations.

Ethan Ong breaks through with first-ever Rok GP Seniors victory

Koby Del Rosario
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Ethan Ong breaks through with first-ever Rok GP Seniors victory

In the very last race of the final leg of the 2023 Rok GP Super Karting Series, Ethan Ong seized the opportunity to capture his very first Senior Class win last September 9/10 at the Carmona Race Track (CRT) to conclude the season on a high.

The young standout has worked tirelessly to achieve the elusive feat after he made the jump from the Junior category in 2022 to the Senior division this year. However, there were already doubts towards Ethan’s readiness to compete at the next level. At only 14 years of age he was easily one of the youngest karters on the Senior Class grid. Still, the team decided take on the challenge head on. Slowly and steadily, Ethan showed that he belonged by delivering consistent podium finishes for Ethanworx Motorsports at every outing.

Under the tutelage of renowned coach Edgen Dy-Liacco of EdgeSport, Ethan’s triumph was bound to happen. And he couldn’t have made his dad John Mark Ong prouder who is also a race car driver himself.

It was an eventful doubleheader season finale. Ethan was easily the 5th fastest karter on track on Saturday and had the leaders in his sights. He finished 7th in Heat 1 and then 3rd in Heat 2, thus allowing him to start the Finals from P5 on the grid. Driving the #75 blue-livered Ethanworx Motorsports kart, he pushed hard during the all important Finals and made it as high as P3 halfway through the race. But his engine suddenly lost power and dropped him down to P4. Luckily, Ethan managed to hold position and salvage 4th place across the line.

The team decided to put in a fresh engine on Sunday, and with some setup adjustments enabled Ethan to immediately set the 3rd fastest time during the Time Trials. He continued this form throughout Heats 1 and 2, again finishing in 3rd on both occasions with only the championship contenders Bern Corpino and Miguel Quiñones ahead of him.

With the title fight on the line, Ethan’s game plan was to simply stay out of their way and safely bring the kart home to the finish. However, a huge pileup at the start of the Finals would take several karters out that included Ethan. It was just fortunate that the race was red flagged allowing him to rejoin.

Fighting for the 2023 crown, Bern and Miguel decided to take each other out at the restart gifting Ethan the lead. Although he came under attack during the opening laps, the 14-year-old got his head down and pulled away from the pack. He would open up a 4.219 secs gap over the course of the 15-lap race and secure his maiden Senior Class win.

With the victory, Ethan concluded the 2023 Rok GP Super Karting Series 3rd in the Senior Expert Class with 225 points. Indeed, it was a successful stint for Ethan as he looks to improve for 2024.

Ethan Ong is sponsored by Auto Vault Speed Shop the distributor of Modesta Premium Glass Coatings, Autozkin Paint Protection, Respol Philippines, Powel Chemicals, Tagaytay Viewpark Hotel, Siglo Modern Filipino, JRJ Windows and Doors, Pierre’s Reserve, and Devil’s Burger.

For more info and updates, Like the Ethan Motorsports page on Facebook and follow @ethan.ong.racing on Instagram.

[Photos by Matt Romualdez]

Daryl DeLeon make steady progress during BTCC visit to Donington Park

Time Attack Manila
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Daryl DeLeon make steady progress during BTCC visit to Donington Park

Though there’s still some way to go, Daryl DeLeon Taylor’s most recent performance in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) shows that he’s heading in the right direction. The lone Filipino-British driver on the grid made steady progress when the series visited Donington Park and is now able to show his potential under the right conditions.

Team HARD Racing made some adjustments to his #18 Cupra Leon, which improved its handling like night and day. This gave the BTCC rookie a much-appreciated confidence boost heading into FP1 where he set the 18th fastest time of the session. It was just a fluke when one of his wheels came undone during FP2 and limited his track time, but still kept his focus on getting a good run in Qualifying.

However, the weather shifted on Saturday afternoon and caught Daryl off guard. He struggled with understeer and wound up in P24 for race day.

Putting the previous day’s setbacks behind him, Daryl was determined to move forward on Sunday and perform on a track he has raced at before. He would get off to a slow start in Race 1 caused by a non-functioning line lock on his Cupra Leon, but was otherwise able to catch back up to the pack. Making no errors and enjoying a trouble-free run, Daryl was able to have some good battles as he fought his way up to 22nd place when the chequered flag dropped.

Now starting further up the grid for Race 2, his aim was to gain several more places and further improve on his previous result. But disaster struck on lap 8 when he lost it under braking heading to the hairpin and went straight into the gravel at high speed. While he was truly beached in and could no longer continue, he was lucky not to have hit any barriers and came out unscathed.

Still a bit shaken by his off-track excursion, Daryl had to keep his head down and simply soldier on in Race 3. This time he was able make a good start and now had the pace to challenge for position, even rubbing fenders as he made a way past his rivals. Sadly, his progress was cut short when a mechanical issue forced him into retirement after only 3 laps.

Admittedly it was not an ideal weekend for Daryl, but the signs are promising. He will have a month’s break to recoup ’til the BTCC resumes on September 23/24 at the Silverstone Circuit for the penultimate event of 2023.

Daryl DeLeon Taylor: “A difficult weekend at Donington Park, but we need to focus on the positives. The car is improving every time we go out and maximum effort from Team HARD Racing all weekend. We had some challenges, but I believe that we’ll get there. Now looking forward to the next race at Silverstone where we hope to get better results. Thank you to TMS, Auntie Anne’s, and Time Attack Manila for all the support as it really goes a long way.”

Daryl DeLeon Taylor is supported by Auntie Anne’s and Train Maintenance Services (TMS).

For news and updates, Like the Daryl DeLeon Racing page on Facebook, follow @daryldeleon on Instagram, or visit daryltaylorracing.com.

[Photos courtesy of Team HARD Racing]

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