PAMPANGA, Philippines (July 2026) — Your next road trip might soon be powered by local crops, as race cars just tore through the Clark International Speedway using fuel made from coconut and sugarcane.
During the second race weekend of the 2026 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Philippine Cup, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) transformed the racetrack into a high-speed test kitchen for sustainable energy. This makes them the first car manufacturer to run motorsports biofuels in the country.
Coconuts and sugarcane on the track
The Vios One-Make Races ran on an E20 bio-ethanol blend, while the Tamaraw One-Make Races relied on a B5 coco-biodiesel mix. By pushing these fuels to their absolute limits under brutal racing conditions, Toyota is figuring out exactly how reliable they are for regular motorists.
This is not just some futuristic concept. Around three-quarters of Toyota and Lexus gasoline models in the Philippines can already run on E20, and every single Toyota diesel model is fully compatible with B5.
Using local crops also helps shield Pinoy drivers from global oil price shocks. TMP President Masando Hashimoto, who also raced in the Tamaraw Class, explained that using locally produced fuel makes the country’s energy supply more stable. He added that switching to coconut-based fuels directly boosts demand for local farmers, creating a win-win situation.
Who dominated the races?
The action on the track was just as fierce as the technology under the hood. At the end of the second leg, several drivers emerged as clear frontrunners.
In the Super Sporting Class, Red Diwa of Toyota Isabela took control of the leaderboard after securing victories in Sprint Race Four and Sprint Race Six. Meanwhile, Bern Zaragoza of Resultado Racing and Iñigo Anton of Obengers Racing currently lead the Sporting and Tamaraw Classes.
Here is a look at the top podium finishers from the weekend:
- Sprint Race Three (Legacy Class): Paolo Ang took first place, followed by Jher Villar and Oliver Estrella.
- Sprint Race Four (Super Sporting): Red Diwa grabbed the win, with Alain Gabriel Alzona and Joaquin Garrido rounding out the top three.
- Sprint Race Four (Sporting Class): Mike Santos claimed the top spot, followed by Bern Zaragoza and Luigi Co.
- Sprint Race Four (Tamaraw Class): Iñigo Anton crossed the finish line first, ahead of Oliver Aquino and Raymond Cudala.
- Sprint Race Five (Super Sporting): Maila Alivia secured first place, with Michael Bryan Co in second and Red Diwa in third.
