Stepping up to the Senior Class at the start of the year, the 2025 season was a trial by fire for Filipino karter Ryan Sy. But the 15-year-old exceeded expectations, closing out his rookie campaign with two major accolades: ROK Cup Thailand Overall Champion and ROK Cup Asia Overall Vice Champion.
Ryan has taken his racing beyond the Philippines since 2024, competing against Asia’s top karters on some of the region’s most challenging circuits. But 2025 marked a significant leap — contesting two separate championships across 10 events.
ROK Cup Thailand Overall Champion
Featuring four rounds held exclusively at the Bira Karting Circuit in Pattaya, Thailand, Ryan’s campaign got off to a slow start with an 8th place finish at the season opener in March. But everything changed in Round 2, where he scored his first-ever Senior Class win at a regional level.
Maintaining that momentum, a 2nd place finish in Round 3 vaulted him into the points lead — setting up a title showdown in the season finale. Another strong drive saw him take 2nd in the Final of Round 4, securing the ROK Cup Thailand Senior title with a commanding 42-point margin.
ROK Cup Asia Overall Vice Champion
Things were far more unpredictable in ROK Cup Asia, where Ryan faced off against the region’s top talent across six rounds on six different tracks.
He opened the season strong at Bira, immediately emerging as a championship contender. But it was Round 2 in Macau that became his standout performance of the year. Battling a grid of 34 top Asian and European karters at the Coloane Karting Track, Ryan fought hard to finish 5th in one of the most competitive events of his career — taking the championship lead in the process.
He extended that lead at Round 3 in Malaysia, finishing 3rd in the Finals at the LYL Karting Circuit, which put him 44 points `clear of his closest rival. But the second half of the season tested his resilience. Ryan struggled to find pace at the Sentul Karting Circuit in Indonesia and finished outside the Top 10.
Round 5 should have been a turning point for Ryan. Held at his home circuit at the Clark International Speedway Kart Track, he was one of the fastest drivers despite the challenging weather. After getting hit in the Pre-Final, Ryan started dead last in the Finals and charged his way into the Top 5 — only to be hit again by the same driver, dropping him to 21st and out of the points lead.
This meant the title would be decided at the finale at KF1 Karting Circuit in Singapore. After a strong run in the Pre-Finals, Ryan only needed to finish the Finals to secure the championship. Unfortunately, fate had other plans. A collision led to a heartbreaking DNF, leaving Ryan 2nd overall in the standings.
Despite the dramatic finish, Ryan’s 2025 season was nothing short of remarkable. His titles as ROK Cup Thailand Overall Champion and ROK Cup Asia Overall Vice Champion — along with his points lead in ROK Cup Philippines — have earned him three invitations to the ROK Cup Superfinal 2025, taking place on October 14–18 at South Garda Karting in Lonato, Italy.
Ryan Sy: “Winning ROK Cup Thailand and finishing 2nd in ROK Cup Asia feels amazing in my debut year in Seniors. It’s been a big step up — more demanding, more competitive, and I had to go up against older, more experienced racers. After a season of learning, hardship, and persistence, I’m proud to bring home the ROK Thailand Senior title — a first for the Philippines. To win a championship and fight against some of the best in Asia is honestly a dream come true. All the hard work, practice, and track time paid off.”
Ryan Sy is supported by Bell Helmets and Bell Racing Design, CW Motorsports, PCRC Racing Club, KR Global Motor Sport, WrapTech, and Domuschola International School.
For more info and updates, Like the Ryan Sy Racing page on Facebook and follow @ryan_sy_racing on Instagram.
