Rama leads Indon sweep of Toyota GR Asia eSports GT
Andika Rama led an Indonesian sweep of the top individual and team awards disputed at the 2025 Toyota Gazoo Racing Asia eSports GT Championship, the prestigious sim-motorsports competition, held recently in Bangkok, Thailand.
Rama and his teammates ruled over a stacked 15-man pool of sim drivers. Teams from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines were pitted across several high-intensity races in Gran Turismo 7.
Rama clinched the top spot for the second time in three years with a total of 74 points, while trailing 12 points behind was first runner-up fellow countryman, Moreno Pratama. Both competitors were neck-and-neck at each other’s throats at the start of the contest before the former drew the line and edged his opponent down the wire. As the dust settled, Rama demonstrated his superior strategy, precision driving acumen, focus and tenacity, edging over the cutthroat competition.
On the other hand, securing the final podium spot was Malaysia’s Chong Kai Chang with 59 points.
For the Country Championship, the Indonesian trio of Rama, Pratama and Farizi Pramaditya again took home the top prize with 169 points.
They were followed by Malaysia and Singapore with 151 and 93 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, the competition saw Team Philippines repeating last year’s valiant campaign with a fourth place finish.
In the Individual Category, GT veteran Enzo Ison led his comrades with an eight-place-stint. Alongside him were Matthew Ang (13th place) and Victor Ancheta (14th place).
Intense virtual race tracks
The competition was virtually held on various race tracks around the world.
First, the Suzuka Circuit set the tone for an electrifying opening race. Here, the Toyota GR Yaris was used by the competitors passing through iconic bends and high-speed straights under wet grueling conditions. Grit, focus and composure were the name of the game as these were the determining factors that put the drivers on top of the pedestal.
Next was the Interlagos leg. This was the longest circuit at 21 laps, nearly three times that of Suzuka. To make things more challenging, the race unfolded under a dramatic day-to-night transition, testing the racers the adaptability and driving prowess.
Here, it was the first time in the Championship’s history that a full team format race was used.
Each team fielded three drivers in the GR010 Hybrid and had to execute two compulsory driver change at any point in the race.
Pitstop strategies, tire management, energy conservation, and maintaining pace were put to the test.
“Every racer pushed their limits, refined their approach, and demonstrated remarkable composure across changing conditions,” said Jaja Ishibashi, general manager of Toyota Motor Asia.
“Beyond the results, what stood out most was the collective commitment to improvement and teamwork. These are values that continue to drive Gazoo Racing forward,” he added.
On the other hand, comeback sim-champion Rama said that winning the competition is the result of months of preparation and sticking to their race strategies, despite the odds.
“We focused on refining our approach lap by lap, adjusting in real time while remaining true to our plan. Each corner, each tire change, and each overtaking decision was an opportunity to improve. Seeing our strategy pay off and being crowned Asia’s champion again gives us an incredible sense of pride.”
The top three individuals and teams each received a cash prize of USD 8,000, USD 4,500 and USD 3,000, respectively.
