Through the years, Tuason Racing got to work with esteemed brands that we’re able to build their racing teams to promote racing and motorsports. One brand that created a trailblazing group that made a mark in the local racing industry is Giti Tires.

GITI brand team partners from all over Asia, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa gathered together in the country last 2019 for an unforgettable weekend of learning,  sharing, driving, and bonding.

In line with the Giti Passenger Car Tire Launch event during that time also launched Giti Tire’s partnership with Tuason Racing.

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The events organized by Giti Tires also coincided with the 2019 finale of the Giti Formula V1 Challenge series held in Clark, Philippines. The series features seasoned and up-and-coming racing superstars who have graduated from the local and international grassroots communities organized by Tuason Racing School. All cars have Giti branding and are powered by GitiSport GTR3 RR1 tires, bringing brand excitement to the community. The series winner, Estefano Rivera, competed in the world championship at the famous Suzuka Circuit in Japan last December 2019.

Tuason Racing Raceday last 2019 also paved the way for the Ultra 4 Endurance Challenge last November 16, 2019, at Clark International Speedway. Tuason Racing Raceday is the culminating event for the Giti-Formula V1 race calendar, supported by GITI Tires.

GITI Tires has a strong motorsports presence all over the world, including participation in the renowned Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race, the Fun Cup racing series in the UK, tire supplier for the Formula 3 Asia Series, as well as collaborating with many other teams and racing series around the world. The company is also heavily focused on green production and community efforts, including participation in local education and environmental efforts to better society.

These efforts from the Giti Team helped build a solid local racing community and continues to create an excellent relationship with Tuason Racing to ensure our racing enthusiasts that the motorsports industry is here to stay.

Tuason Racing’s effort to lend a helping hand to our front liners by using a new platform also paved the way for racing enthusiasts to push through with their racing dreams through “Race For Frontliners 2020. TRS aims to provide more outlets for racing fans to enjoy racing and motorsport events during the pandemic.

In line with that, TRS launched the first homegrown Filipino Esports Racing Series last year.

Phoenix Pulse-Formula V1 Virtual Cup was for racing enthusiasts aged 15 years old and above that are eligible to race against other participants, win prizes, and get a chance to be trained by Tuason Racing.

Participants got to drive the Formula V1-inspired race car in Assetto Corsa on Windows PC. The event also had two racing classes for the public – the Promotional Class for novice drivers and have no experience or not associated with professional sim racing; and Sporting Class for professional racers, who competed in sim racing events here and abroad.

  Phoenix Pulse-Formula V1 Virtual Cup had three (3) rounds, and racing fans witnessed Filipino race drivers who gave their all in each round, all for the Phoenix Pulse Formula V1 Virtual Cup champion

 title. 



After three rigorous rounds on the race tracks, Baguio City’s racing phenomenon Iñigo Anton of Obengers Racing Team did not let the pandemic stop him from winning championships in racing.

The multi-champion in real-life racing wrapped up his third championship title for 2020 in virtual racing by winning the 2020 Phoenix Pulse Formula V1 Virtual Cup in the thrilling finale at the Clark International Speedway in December 2020.

 Anton’s prizes as the titleholder include getting a real test drive with the Tuason Racing Team Formula V1 race car at Clark International Raceway in 2021,  an OMP Racing Suit and gloves, P10,000 worth of Phoenix Petroleum Gift Certificates, and an LG TV.

With Tuason Racing being a pioneer in new regular racing events since last year, We can all look forward to more racing content plus racing events on and off-track this 2021 because we aim to Learn, Race, and Win.

Tuason Racing continues to live up to its goal to fuel Filipino’s racing dreams through organizing Formula V1 Fantasy League last year.

In partnership with Phoenix Pulse,  This virtual race gave racing fans the opportunity to join and live the track experience. It is perhaps very relevant nowadays, given the situation brought up by the pandemic.

The Formula V1 Fantasy League also gave non-gaming racing fans the chance to be team owners and win some awesome prizes from Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, LG Philippines, BlueChem Philippines, and Toptul.  This one-of-a-kind virtual race provided much-needed entertainment for all racing enthusiasts.

Celebrity drivers like Rhian Ramos and Phoemela Baranda were part of the race, proving that even women can bring up their A-game on the race tracks!  The two of them engaged in the field of motorsports for the past couple of years. Notably, both women participated in other local racing events like Vios Cup and Formula V1 endurance race, allowing them to develop their racing skills inside the track.

Participants could choose their bets from more than 80 racers who will contend for the Amateur, and Pro crowns this season. The actual race car drivers and esports will battle on a PC Based racing game called Assetto Corsa.

This event has some of the best-known local racers and professional sim racers in the country.  Estefano Rivera, Maila Alivia,  Joaquin Garrido, Joaquin Garrido,  Iñigo Anton, Luis Moreno, Terence Lallave, Daryl Brady and Andre Varquez graced the race tracks to provide its much-needed action.

The best thing about this race is that participants can invite their friends to join the competition and build their teams.

Tuason Racing wants to continue the excitement and great camaraderie of the racing community, this time with non-racers and gamers through this league. And the good news is, TRS is going to provide more platforms for racing and motorsports events that everyone can enjoy.

2020 hit us more challenging than we thought. The COVID-19 Pandemic affected us in more ways than one, our lifestyle, day-to-day lives, careers, and more. Sports and events were significantly affected by it as well.

The lockdown last year forced us to make do of what we have, including the racing industry.  With no events to look forward to, Tuason Racing came up with ways to reignite the passion of motorsports to fans longing for the adrenaline rush racing events gives to its fans.

The first effort of Tuason Racing is “Race For Frontliners 2020″ in partnership with Phoenix Pulse. The event gave racing fans and enthusiasts a helping hand to our unsung heroes, our front liners, to help fight COVID-19.

Also in line with Tuason Racing’s 21^st-year celebration, The new platform paved the way for more racing fans and enthusiasts to participate in motorsports and compete in the global arena. The grassroots virtual competition complemented other programs organized by the GITI-Formula V1 Race Challenge and Toyota Vios Racing Festival.

With almost 100 racers joining the virtual wheel to wheel action, the Race for Frontliners succeeded in their goal to provide an exciting activity for race enthusiasts while staying at home and helping out our frontlines.Tuason Racing raised P60,000 pesos during the first leg, and the amount went up to over P100,00 pesos during the 2^nd leg.

The third round had the Armed Forces of the Philippines as its beneficiary, with the previous ones being PNP Maritime Group and Philippine Coast Guard. AFP received 400 food packs.

The beauty of this initiative is aside from supporting the government in promoting staying at home and social distancing; It also opened a  platform for aspiring young e-racing talent to explore and join Phoenix PULSE’s Young Drivers’ Program.

Tuason Racing continues to lend a helping hand to people who are in need and, at the same time, gives hope to racing enthusiasts that race events can still be enjoyed, even at the comforts of your home. 

As the pandemic continues to confine people to their homes, more racing fans are starting to look for alternatives to get their regular dose of racing action. 

Simulation Racing or “Sim-Racing” is one of them. Here in the Philippines, the local-sim racing scene is gaining some traction. With racing fans longing to experience the adrenaline rush of racing events, Sim Racing allows them to experience what it’s like being on the driver’s seat while choosing their very own race car to drive on world-famous racetracks as well.

Simulation Racing or “Sim-Racing” is one of them. Here in the Philippines, the local-sim racing scene is gaining some traction. With racing fans longing to experience the adrenaline rush of racing events, Sim Racing allows them to experience what it’s like being on the driver’s seat while choosing their very own race car to drive on world-famous racetracks as well.

With Sim racing, players can attempt to accurately simulate auto racing, complete with real-world car variables such as fuel usage, tire wear and grip, damages, suspension settings, and the ability to feel how a car is reacting across the tarmac.

The game finds itself in a unique niche where the skills between virtual and reality are the most transferable compared to other video games. It is so accurate to the point where real-world motorsport teams such as Ferrari or Mercedes will use simulators to train drivers before their physical training at the real racetracks.

Sim Racing might appear as a super competitive, confusing game on the surface. Still, in reality, it is a place where those who are interested in anything automotive or a desire to create a legacy can come together and race in some of the world’s top cars, against the best racecar drivers, and on the finest racetracks in the world.

Racing still finds ways to thrive despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Digital Motorsports, also known as SIM RACING, has become widely popular in the country today. This growing past time consists of racing virtually and online using a computer and a gaming console.

Its popularity started back in 2015 by Nissan GT Academy, which paved the way for racer Jose Gerard Policarpio crowned as the Asian Champion.

The pandemic led to Racing enthusiasts turning to virtual racing to re-ignite their passion for the sport.

Among the first to recognize this shift is Tuason Racing. Last year, Tuason Racing’s first foray into virtual racing was the “Race for Frontliners” event, which ran from April to June last year and raised over P400,000 in donations used to provide PPEs and supplies to our front liners.

GT Sport is well-known, and players of all skill levels participated while driving different cars on (virtual) racetracks worldwide.

After that, dozens of virtual races emerged to satisfy racing fans’ craving for fast-paced competition. Different sim-racing events on various platforms and software were used, from GT Sport and Dirt2.0 on Playstation and Assetto Corsa on PC.

Digital motorsports are a tangible form of Motorsport because the skills learned while playing can reflect real-life racing.

With these efforts, a growing community has emerged consisting of real-life racers and gamers. It will for sure continue to increase even after the pandemic ends and real-life races are back.

A SHORT HISTORY ON FILIPINO MOTORSPORTS

Today, Motorsport has not just become the best car down to its parts; it has also become a competition with colorful characters.

Motorsports are among the most-watched sport, with races happening worldwide, with some of the best drivers competing.

Though it is not quite as popular here in the Philippines, There are still many racing events in the country. Nonetheless, let us take a closer look and see our rich Filipino Motorsports history.

Early Days (the 1950s-1970s)

The high ambitions of Talented Filipino drivers paved the way for establishing motorsports as part of the Philippine map. Notable drivers include Arsenio Laurel and Francis Ventura. Ventura is known as the father of Filipino motorsport and the founder of Cam Wreckers, a group of car enthusiasts who joins competitive races in their time. A skilled driver, he won a good number of local and international races.

Laurel, aside from being the son of former President Jose P. Laurel, is a professional kart and drag racer. His most outstanding racing achievements were at the Macau Grand Prix, which he won using his classic Lotus 22.

These drivers helped jumpstart interest in Filipino Motorsports.

The 1980s-1990s

These years are a tough time for Filipino motorsports, but there are worth celebrating as well. Arthur Tuason, Boy Eusebio, and Kiko de La Rama raced against the popular Toyota Celicas in circuit racing and a few rally events.

Angelo Barretto and Jovy Marcelo are some of the notable drivers during the 90s too. Barretto was known for his excellent touring car performances in Europe, while Marcelo was one of the most successful young drivers in the country.

2000’s-PRESENT

Early 2000s marked  the golden years of motorsports in the Philippines with racers having a complete career ladder up to Formula 3.

The rebirth of grassroots motorsports program also took place with Tuason Racing’s efforts, such as Toyota Vios Cup.

We also witnessed the emergence of many young drivers and an increasing number of motorsport events.  Female drivers like Gaby Dela Merced and Michelle Bumgarner did not just break the norm in racing; they also achieved racing accolades here and abroad.

The touring car scene was also buzzing with Paolo Lofamia and Enzo Pastor.

And a popular name we are all familiar with is Marlon Stockinger. He was an Asian Karting Champion and continues to race in both formula and touring events.

Despite many setbacks, Filipino racing can still find ways to shine and grow, paving the way for the next generation of racers and more motorsports events in the coming years.

Source: https://roberts.com.ph/blog/filipino-motorsports-short-history

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The pandemic has significantly impacted different industries, including motorsports.

Following the initial shock caused by COVID-19, leading minds in the local motorsports industry like Tuason Racing created proposals and plans for getting the motorsports industry back on track, so racing action will be seen and experienced once again.

The collective input and subsequent proposals that contributed to racing and motorsport events can be continued—demonstrating to potential partners and sponsors that put a great deal of thought and planning into the upcoming efforts in line with the agreed protocols around making events COVID-19 safe.

With the industry coping up on a slightly different format, we need to ensure our clients create events with policies suitable for the COVID-19 safety protocols that were implemented. Health and safety should always be a top priority.

The sport is being more inclusive, with racing becoming digital through the medium of esports. With games like Sim Racing, it became a way to make the sport accessible to fans from the safety of our homes, blurring the line between professional racers and gaming racers.

Esports offer a way for people from all backgrounds to get involved in motorsports, usually a sport being known to the wealthy, being the driver or a spectator of racing.

The rise of inclusivity in motorsports brings a lot of hope for the racing fans, helping the motorsports industry cope.

After seeing the craziness that the Formula E drivers got up to in Rome, F1 decided they wouldn’t stand for it and actually one upped them with the insanity. Imola was a hotbed of drama with dry conditions in practice and qualifying. Yet drivers still found themselves spinning out or squabbling especially Giovinazzi and Mazepin. The rookie Russian once again ignoring the “gentleman’s agreement” during qualifying by overtaking the Alfa Romeo driver right before his turn at a hot lap. Giovinazzi called him out publicly citing his lack of respect for his other competitors. Mazepin noticeably didn’t gain anything from the manoeuvre as he qualified 19th just ahead of Yuki Tsunoda who crashed out. On the other side of the grid, Lando Norris hit a phenomenal hot lap that almost saw him grab P3. A slight mistake saw him exceed the track limits however and his time was deleted relegating him to P8.

Moving to the actual race the track conditions suddenly swung for the unpredictable as the rain poured down with parts of the track sopping wet and other parts dry. This left a lot of race strategies up in the air and drivers were forced to choose between wet and intermediate (wet/dry) tires. With a majority on the intermediates, everyone was feeling the pressure as Leclerc spun out in the formation lap but managed to make up his place. Stroll and Vettel had it worse with fire spreading from their brakes causing a scramble at parc fermé. From there the race began and the two leaders ran neck and neck through the tamburello chicane. Hamilton tried to push Verstappen but did not have the racing line and went over the inner turn bumpers damaging his front wing. Latifi just like Leclerc was a victim of the Acque Minerali turn as he spun out and then ran into Mazepin as he rejoined, ending his race in the wall. Schumacher also hit the wall at the pit exit leaving a lot of debris and a broken front wing.

Checo also feeling the stress would overexert the car and understeer off the track losing position, he would retake these positions but because of the safety car enforcement he would be hit with a 10 second penalty. After the clearing of the track the race restarted and the drying conditions left those on wet tires to struggle. Hamilton after a slow stop would lose the 28 second lead he built up against Verstappen who pit earlier. He would cut down the gap but then overshoot the corner and hit the gravel trying to lap the Williams car. Losing 7 positions he manages to rejoin the race which was quickly cut short by a huge accident. The collision between Bottas and Russell as the Williams driver touched the grass after the Mercedes driver shut the door led to a big hit and a spraying of debris all over the track with a red flag for the race. The two would have serious words with Russell slapping Bottas in his seat. The chaos led to a restart with Verstappen, Norris, and Leclerc in the top 3 with 28 laps to go. Both Tsunoda who made it up to 8th from last and Perez who was consistently running in the top 5 would spin out and lose positions. Hamilton would take advantage of the restart to its fullest moving himself up all the way to 2nd from 9th. This meant Verstappen would win the Imola Grand Prix, Hamilton in second, and Lando Norris in third.

Motorsports is one of the most dynamic marketing platforms. Whether it’s small, big, local, or global, there is always a place for your brand to shine. The world of motorsports has so many opportunities that can give your brand the exposure it deserves. It also leverages the passion of a broad audience coming from many walks of life. 

Some large brands have built themselves from the ground up. They are starting with simple grassroots programs that developed into dynamic, multi-series operations ending with partnerships with other well-known brands.

But despite all of these, Motorsports Marketing can be tricky. There are various dynamics, opportunities, and flexibility, and for you to be successful, you need to have a team by your side who will help you with the rules of the game and the players.

Though the possibilities are endless and the ROI (Return-On-Investment) potential is explosive, there are some fundamental challenges that you must be aware of and prepare yourself.

The good thing is, there is no obstacle in Motorsports Marketing that you can’t solve. Planning carefully and being well-equipped can work wonders. But here are some roadblocks that you might encounter in the future and some tips that can help you prepare:

1. SPONSORSHIP ACTIVATION- Know the fundamentals of what it takes to generate sustainable ROI through your sponsorship program.
2. ENGAGING CUSTOMERS-  Sponsorship customer engagement is ideal because the motorsports platform gives you some of the best opportunities in terms of connection. You can create VIP Suites for guests, or publishing race-related content on social media can make your storytelling powerful.
3. ENGAGE IN DIFFERENT AUDIENCES EFFECTIVELY- Variety and flexibility are always valuable for your customer engagement.
4. KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TAKING ON- Always stay strategic. Keep an eye on what you are trying to achieve as a brand, then measure the results.
5. WHERE TO PUT YOUR BUDGET- Always prioritize your activation budget over the property budget. Investing in activations for your brand is a need.

The Motorsports Marketing industry continues to evolve to level up a brand’s marketing strategy. Now that you’ve learned some of the obstacles, time to partner up with an organization that can help take your brand on higher ground.

Feel free to contact us at info@tuasonracing.com and tuasonracing.marketing@gmail.com if you want to know more about motorsports marketing and how Tuason Racing can help your brand flourish.