Just like that, a new season of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup is upon us—and the first leg on March 13 to 15 will see not only the inaugural run of the Tamaraw One-Make Race (OMR), but also the public debut of the all-new Toyota RAV4 and Urban Cruiser.
The first event of the 2026 season will be a street race at Riverside in General Trias, Cavite, and will be run on a 2.4km course laid out on the Federal Land Community Development. Last year’s street race held south of Manila in Bacoor saw more than 12,000 spectators—a figure that Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) will aim to surpass this year with its new series and trackside events.
The Tamaraw OMR will be part of the PH Cup Sprint Races under the new Tamaraw Racing Class. Team Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippines itself will field four of these racing trucks to be driven by TMP president Masando Hashimoto, and new racers Chenee Jimenez, Alex Lim (aka BanaweBoy), Justin Buzzhype, Enzo Ison, and Will Lucas. Other competitors in this category include former Vios Cup champions Inigo Anton, Dominic Ochoa, Alain Alzona, and Jesse Garcia.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
Cars We Love: Macoy Dubs and his 1993 Honda Prelude
The Mitsubishi Xpander was PH’s best-seller in 2025, tops MPV sales for third straight year
The Vios One-Make Race is also back for another season, with a 30-racer grid making up the Sporting, Super Sporting, and Legacy classes of this series.
When no races are being run on the street track, spectators can check out various vehicles on display at Riverside. These include Toyota GR cars like the GR Yaris and the GR Supra, various Lexus models, and, as mentioned, the sixth-generation RAV4 and the Urban Cruiser. Both models are set to go on sale this month, with the hybrid RAV4 having a starting price of P2.183 million and the all-electric Urban Cruiser reportedly stickering for P2.135 million.
The e-Motorsports display, meanwhile, has sim-racing rigs for everyone to enjoy. And for members of Toyota car clubs, there’s a Riverside street-circuit experience via an exclusive track day.
Admission is free for everyone, and race passes are now available on www.tgrphcup.com.
“It will be another thrilling year as we kick off a GRipping and GRitty season of the TGR Philippine Cup!” said Hashimoto. “By adding new playgrounds in Cavite and Batangas, it will surely make the hearts of all motorsports fans race.
“I recently tried out the Tamaraw OMR in a drift track in Pampanga, and it really made me wow! I cannot wait for more people to experience what this car can do when pushed to its limits!”
