Toyota ace Rama reclaims Asia title

Indonesia’s Andika Rama is back on top of regional sim racing after winning the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Asia eSports GT Championship 2025 in Bangkok, with his country also taking the overall team crown.

Held at Toyota Alive Space in Bangkok, the finals gathered 15 of Asia’s best Gran Turismo 7 racers from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

They battled across three races that mixed changeable weather, long stints, and tight sprint action.

Rama finished the night with 74 points to secure the individual title, adding to the championship he first won in 2023. Compatriot Moreno Pratama placed second on 62 points, while Malaysia’s Chong Kai Chang took third with 59.

With two Indonesians on the podium, the country also topped the team standings with 169 points, ahead of Malaysia with 151 and Singapore with 93.

The opening race at Suzuka put everyone on edge. Drivers took the GR Yaris around the circuit just as heavy rain rolled in, which turned the race into a test of tire calls and steady hands. Malaysia’s Taj Aiman led early, but as grip levels dropped, Rama, Chong, and Iqbal Suji closed in.

Rama timed his late push well and grabbed the win, followed by fellow Indonesian Pratama and Malaysia’s Chong. Taj slipped to fourth after tire trouble despite leading most of the way.

The second race at Interlagos stretched the field and the drivers’ stamina. It ran 21 laps and introduced a full team format for the first time, with each country fielding three drivers in the GR010 Hybrid and making two mandatory driver swaps.

Malaysia opened a gap through Taj Aiman, while Indonesia and Singapore tried to save tires and reduce pit stops.

When dusk fell, and strategies diverged, Malaysia’s well-timed driver changes paid off and the team held on for the win, with Indonesia in second and Singapore in third.

The title fight came down to Watkins Glen, a 14-lap sprint in the GR Supra Race Car ’19. Indonesia and Malaysia again set the early pace, with Rama carrying his form from Suzuka. The field stayed tightly packed, often separated by less than a second.

A bold early stop lifted the Malaysian squad into the top three, but the choice to run on soft tires forced another pit stop later on. That opened the door for Indonesia, and Rama kept his laps clean to take his second win of the night, with Pratama close behind.

Chong then climbed from seventh to third after his final stop, overtaking four rivals in the closing laps.

Toyota Motor Asia general manager Jaja Ishibashi said the championship showed how sim racers now treat the virtual track with the same discipline as real-world drivers, noting how teams adapted to changing conditions and refined their approach race after race.

Rama said the victory was the result of months of preparation and sticking to the plan even when rivals tried aggressive pit strategies.

He added that every corner and tire change felt like a small adjustment that added up over the night, and that regaining the Asia title was a proud moment for him and his team.

Pratama called his own run a tough but rewarding challenge, while Chong described his first Asia Finals podium as “bittersweet” and a motivation to keep improving.

Special awards went to Rama as Driver of the Day, Chong as Best Racecraft Driver, and Singapore’s Fadtris Isa for Fastest Race Pace.

The top three individual drivers received 8,000, 4,500, and 3,000 US dollars, respectively, with the same prize levels for the top three countries.

Team Philippines ended the finals in fourth in the country standings. Enzo Ison delivered the best individual result for the squad in eighth place overall, while teammates Matthew Ang and Victor Ancheta placed 13th and 14th.

The TGR Asia eSports GT Championship runs on Gran Turismo 7 using Toyota GR performance models on PlayStation consoles. It serves as the drivers’ main stage to race against the best in the region without leaving the simulator seat.