Presidential run
Masando Hashimoto, President of Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP), is redefining corporate leadership with a fierce passion for motorsport. Just months into his tenure, Hashimoto is catching everyone’s attention for his daring performance behind the wheel in the 2025 Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Philippine Cup.
From the moment TMP kicked off 2025 TGR in March at Clark International Speedway, Hashimoto—who competed in the Novice Class—showed a lot of promise.
It seems that athleticism is something that’s ingrained in Hashimoto’s personality. The Sunday morning after the TGR’s first leg, I bumped into Hashimoto. While I was only about to grab breakfast, he had already finished his morning run. As he greeted me with a smile, he didn’t even show any signs of exhaustion from racing that weekend.
The second leg of the TGR Philippine Cup held in May at Villar City, Bacoor, Cavite, brought both drama and inspiration. During a tense final lap of the Novice Class race, Hashimoto’s #4 Vios flipped after colliding with a barrier. The crowd gasped as rescuers rushed in, but Hashimoto emerged with two thumbs up, entirely unharmed. Unfazed, Hashimoto shared: “I lost my beloved Vios #4, but she saved my life. We racers experience crashes all the time, many times, which is part of racing, but I have seen firsthand the wonderful fact that Toyota cars are safe, robust, and keep the drivers protected.”
In a stirring finale to the TGR 2025 season, Hashimoto defied expectations. Despite entering the third leg of the TGR behind Luis Moreno and Pablo Salapantan in the Novice Class standings, Hashimoto pulled-off a standout performance in the Endurance Race—a demanding, long-distance challenge testing both driver endurance and vehicle resilience—and emerged victorious.
With the engines from the TGR 2025 Philippine Cup now cooling, we asked Hashimoto to give us insights about his personal experience:
Q: How long did you train for the TGR Philippine Cup?
“Practice makes perfect. Since the start of this year, I’ve increased my practice volume. The team’s training camp for Leg 3 lasted five days. I drove total for six days at Clark Circuit, including official practice day.
I also did karting at the Carmona Circuit three or four times. Karting is the best way to learn weight distribution and turning while driving.
My younger son, Jo, is also a Cadet kart racer, and we provided each other with feedback and pushed each other to improve. Training together as father and son was undoubtedly a positive experience.”
Q: What would you say was the biggest factor that contributed to your victory?
“The final 1.5-hour endurance race was a series of fortunate events. Several cars crashed, prompting the safety car to intervene on the 18th lap, resetting the race. This had a significant impact on the outcome.
I’m one of the top drivers in my category, but I’m not the fastest. The safety car and mixed racing with other classes added an exciting and chaotic element to the race. I spun out at the Porsche corner, but the safety car came out right away, saving me.
The outstanding pit work was clearly the most important factor, and it was instrumental in my success. The mechanics did an excellent job in the pits, giving me a lead of nearly 10 seconds over my rivals. The team made it possible for me to win. I am grateful for the support of this team.”
Q: What is the biggest lesson you learned from competing in the TGR 2025 Season?
“Finishing in P1 at the final race of the season was an incredible achievement. It was the best feeling ever. When I first started racing last year, I never imagined achieving something like this. I am completely satisfied with this incredible result.
After two seasons of competition, I am now 100% sure that racing is a team sport. You can’t fight alone. The team manager, mechanics, coach, and analysts are always there with me on the track. Organizers, marshals, and sponsors support the entire event. All stakeholders will collaborate as one team to ensure the success of the TGR PH Cup.
If no one gives up, results will inevitably follow. This is the most important lesson I’ve learned. I will incorporate the spirit of teamwork and GRIT into the management of TMP.”
Q: Will the audience see you again in TGR 2026 Season?
“There is no reason for me not to continue.
Toyota’s global chairman, Akio Toyoda, asserts that motorsports are a culture. Culture is not something that can be created overnight. Continuity is essential. At 69, Akio is still an active racing driver. It’s about creating culture.
I fully respect my boss, Akio, and I aspire to continue racing for as long as he does. Developing the motorsports culture in the Philippines requires more than just racing. There are many activities to pursue. But, I am convinced that being a racer is the best and the easiest way to stay at the forefront of these efforts.”
Hashimoto’s hard-fought win is more than just a motorsport milestone—it’s a testimony to Toyota’s vision of translating racing-tested performance into safer, smarter road cars. His motivation goes beyond competition. Drawing inspiration from Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda’s philosophy that motorsport builds better road cars, Hashimoto sees racing as a hands-on lesson in resilience, teamwork, and innovation—values he intends to apply in TMP operations.
As TMP wraps-up another memorable motorsport chapter, Hashimoto’s win closes the TGR 2025 season with inspiration—fueling the brand’s legacy of innovating and pushing limits, on the track and beyond.
