With nearly zero street circuit experience and a 50 kg success ballast weighing down his car, Russel Cabrera faced a steep challenge at Round 2 of the 2025 Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Philippine Cup. But the young talent from Toyota Team Cebu (TTC) rose to the occasion in spectacular fashion at the purpose-built Villar City Street Circuit—clinching a podium, a race win, and taking the championship lead in the Super Sporting Class.
Super Sporting Class
Still the team’s lone contender in the top-tier category, Russel made an early statement by qualifying P2 on Friday despite having never raced on a road course. This strong showing helped build his confidence ahead of the weekend’s three races.
Russel kept things tidy in Race 1 on Saturday. He trailed eventual winner Wakkeen Garrido of Obengers Racing from start to finish and brought his #95 Vios OMR home in 2nd. It was a cautious first outing that banked valuable points while allowing the 21-year-old to learn the tight and unforgiving layout.
Starting P5 on the reverse grid, Russel and the team agreed it wasn’t worth taking any risks in Race 2. Thus, he focused on delivering a clean run and held his position to finish 5th to add to his points tally.
Saving his best performance for last, Russel found himself locked in a fierce duel with Garrido in Race 3. The pair exchanged places multiple times, with Russel momentarily taking the lead before being overtaken again. He waited for the perfect opportunity—diving down the inside on the final corner of the final lap, forcing his way past Garrido to snatch a thrilling victory.
Sporting Class
The weekend also marked a critical learning experience for TTC’s Sporting Class drivers, Rex Abrenilla and Johndale Dy.
Still recovering from a horrific crash in Round 1 that destroyed his previous car, Rex returned behind the wheel with caution. The team’s main directive for both drivers was clear: no risks—just finish.
Rex slowly built confidence across the weekend, improving with each race to finish 13th, 11th, and 10th—earning one hard-fought point for the team.
Meanwhile, Johndale, the least experienced member of the squad, treated the weekend as a trial by fire. He successfully completed all three races in 14th, 12th, and 12th, respectively. Though he finished outside the points, it was a solid and composed performance from the Cebuano, who came home with valuable mileage and insight.
With momentum on his side, Russel now leads the Super Sporting Class championship heading into the final round in August. Toyota Team Cebu will return for the season finale of the 2025 TGR Philippine Cup on August 7/9 with the Super Sporting Class title now within reach.
Lord Seno, Team Manager: “I understood the situation coming into the road race. It entails a different kind of driving, a different kind of focus. All my drivers were rookies in this. Rex and Johndale, having the least experience, got stunned but nevertheless showed unwavering determination. Russel wasn’t quick out of the box either. We had to dissect our laps before we were up to speed. Nevertheless, we made things happen and I am proud of Toyota Team Cebu’s performance. Special thanks to Jun, our crew, and our head mechanic Tikboy who recovered from an illness.”
Toyota Team Cebu is sponsored by Standard Insurance, AC Delco, 3M Protrade Industrial Corporation, X1R, BG Power Stroke, MMF Glass, Staging Lines Performance Shop, Ubec Mags, Vian-son Automotive, Suarez and Sons, Solane LPG, Nature’s Spring Water, Fedchem Manufacturing Philippines, and Bullyconcepts.
[Photos by James Morales Jr]
