Currently sitting in second place of the Vios Circuit Championship’s Sporting Class is Red Diwa of Growl-Thule Racing! Diwa currently sits just six points behind Eggy Ong in the lead, and the Growl driver is definitely within striking distance. His strong performances and double podium finishes in a wet and wild Round 3 made sure Ong wasn’t able to open up a sizable gap heading into Round 4.
Diwa’s already nabbed the AM Class championship in the 2019 Giti-Formula V1 Challenge–can he make it two for his trophy cabinet this season? Find out during the final round of the Vios Racing Festival this weekend, November 8-9, at CIS!
Diwa with the swagger at the driver briefings!
Growl Corporation is one of the largest developers and distributors of first-class OEM in-dash Audio, Video and Navigation (AVN) systems. Our product, the Growl Audio Head Unit is customized for different car models.
Thule Sport & Cargo Systems, on the other hand, is exclusively distributed by Tow & Stow Industries, Inc. They are an importer, distributor, and manufacturer of vehicle towing products such as hitch receivers (TOTALHITCH™ brand), trailers (TOTALTRAILERS™ brand) and accessories.
The 2019 Giti-Formula V1 Challenge championship went down to the wire during Round 3–and not only for the top two! While an epic side-by-side finish in Race 8 decided the series for Jussi Hoikka’s fellow contenders in the Pro Class, the Growl-Thule driver took home third in his class and the overall rankings by just one crucial point!
With double scoring on the board in Round 3, Hoikka drew first blood as he finished third in the weekend’s opening Race 7, trailed closely by Stefan Ramirez who was alongside him in the standings. After they both missed the podium in Race 8, their battle climaxed in Race 9–Hoikka defended against a pushing Ramirez for most of the race, but the Ensport driver managed to slip past on the final lap to clinch third for himself–but was it enough?
The Finnish racer’s consistency throughout the series–having successfully completed every race–turned out to be the key difference as Hoikka finished with a grand total of 106 points and the final spot on the season podium.
Here are Hoikka’s closing thoughts on a successful campaign: “The 2019 season saw lots of exciting and very close racing–especially with my fellow contenders for the overall third place such as Stefan Ramirez, Raymond Ronquillo and Paolo Mantolino. Finding the ideal setup for each race and focusing on consistency was indeed our entire team’s main focus. Big thanks to the dedicated mechanics of PartsPro Racing and coach Edgen Dy-Liacco of Edgesport for this result!”
Congratulations Jussi and Growl-Thule Racing on an excellent season of racing!
Growl Corporation is one of the largest developers and distributors of first-class OEM in-dash Audio, Video and Navigation (AVN) systems. Our product, the Growl Audio Head Unit is customized for different car models.
Thule Sport & Cargo Systems, on the other hand, is exclusively distributed by Tow & Stow Industries, Inc. They are an importer, distributor, and manufacturer of vehicle towing products such as hitch receivers (TOTALHITCH™ brand), trailers (TOTALTRAILERS™ brand) and accessories.
From a promising young talent selected from a pool of over 300 hopefuls in Phoenix’s Young Driver’s Program, Raffy Rabe has surely grown into a bonafide racer at the end of his pioneer campaign in the 2019 Giti-Formula V1 Challenge.
His weekend at Round 3 started off in one of the worst ways possible: with a disabled car and a DNF after the multiple car collision that occurred right after the green lights flashed for the opening Race 7.
Rabe spins off track (right) as several cars come together – Photo by Jet Rabe
This mirrored the first ever Formula V1 race for the young Phoenix driver, as he spun out and was unable to finish in his series debut. However, he pushed on from that demoralising setback and managed to recover and grab 4th place in the third race of Round 1.
His comeback drive to grab third in the AM Class during the final race of the season is even more impressive considering the rest of the drivers on the grid were going all-out to secure the best final standing possible. At the press conference after the race, Raffy shared that he was eager to continue his journey in 2020, saying that “hopefully [I can race] next year, I really want to continue in Formula V1 and work my way up to other forms of motorsports.”
He also praised the community of the Philippines’s first homegrown formula series and the thriving motorsports scene in the country, sharing that, “I’d like to thank the whole community of racing here in the Philippines. It’s such a wonderful feeling when you’re here, when you’re racing. There’s not much bad blood [between competitiors] and it’s just amazing.”
There’s still one more drive awaiting Raffy when he links up with the rest of the Young Driver’s Program winners: Tara Laconico and Patrichk Dela Rosa, as they form Phoenix Racing Team’s roster in the Ultra 4 Hours Endurance Race on November 16 at CIS!
The Giti-Formula V1 Challenge is presented by Phoenix Pulse Technology and Tuason Racing. Sponsored by Giti Tires Philippines, West Racing Cars, OMP, AEG Powertools, Phoenix Accelerate, Rota Wheels, Oakley, Eurasia, FamilyMart, and Don Papa Rhum.
Media partners: Autoindustriya, Autocar, Wheelsph, Jamesdeakin.com, C!Magazine, and ESPN 5
The Giti-Formula V1 Challenge, the country’s first homegrown formula series, crowned its 2019 champion on October 20 at Clark International Speedway. After three rounds and nine intense races, Estefano Rivera of the Toyota Balintawak Obengers clinched the top spot in the overall points championship, winning the coveted seat to race against the Formula V1 champions of Japan at the legendary Suzuka Circuit.
Speaking at the end of the weekend, the new champion was looking forward to his race in December. “I’m honored and blessed to have the opportunity to race in Suzuka, a world-class track. When I was a kid I would watch Formula 1 there, and to race there hasn’t actually sunk in yet, but in a couple of days I’ll have to start practicing on my Xbox!”
Japanese racer Ryo Yamada, who was leading Rivera by a single point coming into Round 3, finished second overall and gets the opportunity to test a Formula Masters car at Sepang with Eurasia Motorsports.
In the AM Class, Red Diwa made the most of the double points available and was crowned the provisional class champion after reigning class leader Alex Brown ended his weekend early due to the dramatic crash in Race 7.
Throughout three rounds, the racers all showed great development–which is one of Formula V1’s main goals: to develop Filipino talent for world-class competition–and a lot of quality racing on track!
RACE 7: An Explosive Start to the Weekend
photo by Jet Rabe
The weekend opener saw multiple racers collide and take each other out during the initial jostle for position off the starting line. Raymond Ronquillo of Frontrow, Raffy Rabe of Phoenix Racing, Francesco Dino of Edgesport Racing, Dominic Roque of Cleanfuel, and Alex Brown of AEG-Toyota Obengers were involved. Four of the racers made it out unharmed with Tuason Racing’s safety measures and emergency protocols immediately coming to their aid.
With his bright orange Formula V1 car suffering the worst damage, Brown was transported to the hospital and–aside from some bruising–the young racer was released on the same day and began his recuperation in good spirits. When the shortened 10-lap race resumed, Rivera held against a superhuman effort from Yamada (who recorded a blistering 2:10 lap in the process) to keep his pole position until the checkered flag.
Talking about his intense defensive effort, Rivera said that, “Every position counts, going into this event Ryo was leading by a point so there was no math to it–whoever gets the most wins out of three will get the championship.”
Jussi Hoikka of Growl-Thule Racing finished third in the Pro Class, while Red Diwa of OTR Racing claimed first in the AM Class followed by Bryan Co, and Jerry Choi.
RACE 8: The Epic Highlight of the Season
With the championship in the balance, Rivera attacked Yamada early in Race 8 and took the lead after the Japanese driver skidded wide in the first lap. Yamada regained first place inside a few laps but the Obengers driver went ahead for good after he executed a dramatic pass on the Japanese racer’s inside line–so close that the two V1 cars traded paint coming out of the corner!
Rivera managed to defend his new position until the end for the closest result of the season: a photo finish with Yamada crossing the finish line side by side with his rival.
Yamada applauded his rival post-race, acknowledging that, “Estefano is very strong, but I just needed a few more laps [and I would have won]” laying down the gauntlet for the decisive Race 9.
Stefan Ramirez of Ensport was demoted from third for a false start penalty, elevating Frontrow’s Raymond Ronquillo onto the podium after he fought his way up to fourth from seventh place on the grid.
Post-race, the Frontrow racer praised the even playing field of the one-make series and how it brings out the best of its drivers. “Masarap kasi siya pag wheel-to-wheel ang racing, masaya. Parang yung time ko [in practice and QTT] was 2:13 to 2:12. Pero this time, pag karera na talaga, bumaba pa siya.”
In the AM Class, Red Diwa finished first again, followed by a recovered Dominic Roque, and Giti’s Bryan Co.
Roque, who also experienced a major accident in the previous round, stated that it didn’t scare him to get back into the cockpit after Race 7. “I came from motorcycle racing, so mas delikado siya. Regarding what happened to me in those past accidents, nakakatakot, yes, but mas safe naman siya in a way. The car is built to protect you pag may nangyaring masama.”
Aside from the Formula V1 being crash certified by the Japan Automobile Federation, mandatory HANS use and other safety guidelines are strictly followed by Tuason Racing, in cooperation with AAP and CIS, for every event.
RACE 9: A Champion Is Crowned
Mathematically, Estefano Rivera only needed second place to claim the championship even if Yamada took first place in the final race–and the Japanese driver immediately claimed the lead off his mid-pack position on the starting line. With his gearbox acting up early on, Rivera showed great professionalism and took the car home in one piece to finish in the required second place. “Of course I wanted to push, but unfortunately my transmission [was damaged] second wasn’t in the right place, maybe from the great battles with Ryo. So I decided to just finish and take the car home.”
Jussi Hoikka battled hard to keep third place against a charging Stefan Ramirez, but the Finnish driver was eventually passed on the final lap, giving Ramirez the final podium place in the Pro Class.
In the AM Series, Red Diwa again claimed first to clinch the class points lead. Giti’s Bryan Co dueled with Dominic Roque for second over several laps until the celebrity racer went wide off track and had to retire. This lead to Phoenix’s Young Driver Raffy Rabe ending his debut season strongly in third, adding to his podium finishes for the season.
Formula V1 action resumes during the Tuason Racing Trackday featuring the Ultra 4 Hours Endurance Race on November 16 at CIS!
The Giti-Formula V1 Challenge is presented by Phoenix Pulse Technology and Tuason Racing. Sponsored by Giti Tires Philippines, West Racing Cars, OMP, AEG Powertools, Phoenix Accelerate, Rota Wheels, Oakley, Eurasia, FamilyMart, and Don Papa Rhum.
Media partners: Autoindustriya, Autocar, Wheelsph, Jamesdeakin.com, C!Magazine, and ESPN 5
The Giti-Formula V1 Challenge, the country’s first homegrown formula series, crowned its new champion today at Clark International Speedway. After three rounds and nine intense races, Estefano Rivera of the Toyota Balintawak Obengers clinched the top spot in the overall points championship, winning the coveted seat to race against the Formula V1 champions of Japan at the legendary Suzuka Circuit.
Japanese racer Ryo Yamada, who was leading Rivera by a single point coming into Round 3, finished second overall and gets the opportunity to test a Formula Masters car at Sepang with Eurasia Motorsports.
In the AM Class, Red Diwa made the most of the double points available and was crowned the provisional champion after reigning class leader Alex Brown ended his weekend early due to the dramatic crash in Race 7.
Throughout three rounds, the racers all showed great development–which is one of Formula V1’s main goals: to develop Filipino talent for world-class competition.
RACE 7
The weekend opener saw multiple racers collide and take each other out during the initial jostle for position off the starting line. Raymond Ronquillo of Frontrow, Raffy Rabe of Phoenix Racing, Francesco Dino of Edgesport Racing, Dominic Roque of Cleanfuel, and Alex Brown of AEG-Toyota Obengers were involved. Four of the racers made it out unharmed with Tuason Racing’s safety measures and emergency protocols immediately coming to their aid.
With his Formula V1 car suffering the worst damage, Brown was transported to the hospital and–aside from some bruising–the young racer was released on the same day and began his recuperation in good spirits. When the shortened 10-lap race resumed, Rivera held against a superhuman effort from Yamada (who recorded a best 2:10 lap in the process) to keep his pole position until the checkered flag.
Jussi Hoikka of Growl-Thule Racing finished third in the Pro Class, while Red Diwa of OTR Racing claimed first in the AM Class followed by Bryan Co, and Jerry Choi.
RACE 8
With the championship in the balance, Rivera attacked Yamada early and took the lead after the Japanese driver skidded wide in the first lap. Yamada regained first place inside a few laps but the Obengers driver went ahead for good after he executed a dramatic pass on the Japanese racer’s inside line–so close that the two V1 cars traded paint coming out of the corner.
Rivera managed to defend his new position until the end for the closest result of the season: a photo finish with Yamada crossing the finish line side by side with his rival.
Stefan Ramirez of Ensport was demoted from third for a false start penalty, elevating Frontrow’s Raymond Ronquillo onto the podium after he fought his way up to fourth from seventh place.
In the AM Class, Red Diwa finished first again, followed by a recovered Dominic Roque, and Giti’s Bryan Co.
RACE 9
Mathematically, Estefano Rivera only needed second place to claim the championship even if Yamada took first place in the final race–and the Japanese driver immediately claimed the lead off the starting line. Experiencing early trouble with his gearbox, Rivera professionally took the car home in one piece to finish in the required second place.
Jussi Hoikka battled hard to keep third place against a charging Stefan Ramirez, but the Finnish driver was eventually passed on the final lap, giving Ramirez the final podium place in the Pro Class.
In the AM Series, Red Diwa again claimed first to clinch the class points lead. Bryan Co dueled with Dominic Roque for second over several laps until the celebrity racer went wide off track and had to retire. This lead to Phoenix’s Young Driver Raffy Rabe ending his debut season strongly in third, adding to his podium finishes for the season.
Formula V1 action resumes during the Tuason Racing Trackday featuring the Ultra 4 Hours Endurance Race on November 16 at CIS!
The Giti-Formula V1 Challenge is presented by Phoenix Pulse Technology and Tuason Racing. Sponsored by Giti Tires Philippines, West Racing Cars, OMP, AEG Powertools, Phoenix Accelerate, Rota Wheels, Oakley, Eurasia, FamilyMart, and Don Papa Rhum.
Media partners: Autoindustriya, Autocar, Wheelsph, Jamesdeakin.com, C!Magazine, and ESPN 5
The Formula V1 race car has a truly analog nature, with no driver aids, that puts the emphasis on individual skill–and this raw driving feel is what a trio of stars experienced firsthand in the first ever Giti-Formula V1 Level Up Challenge! These race-proven celebs are battling for bragging rights as well as P50,000 for the charity of their choice.
And as you can see from the thumbnail, the winner is none other than Sam YG! Tuason Racing’s founder and CEO, JP Tuason, awarded Sam his prize at Tahanan ng Pagmamahal Children’s Home. See the heart-warming scenes in the final episode right here:
Thanks for watching the Giti-Formula V1 Level Up Challenge here on tuasonracing.com and SportsCenter Philippines on ESPN5! We’ll see you at the races!
We have a title race that is as tight as it can possibly get heading into Round 3 of the Giti-Formula V1 Challenge on Oct 19-20 at Clark International Speedway! While there’s room for several challengers at the top of the points table, there’s only one champion’s seat waiting at Suzuka. We asked our media partners to weigh in on the season so far, and their bold predictions on who will be taking the grand prize.
Christopher Kho, Time Attack Manila
The title leaders are currently separated by 1 point. Are you bold enough to choose a champion before the races start? I’m putting my money on Estefano Rivera as he has more experience racing in CIS than Ryo Yamada. You can also count on Estefano’s teammate, Alex Brown–who is as quick as both title contenders–to help him out on track if needed.
With a double points and reverse grid system in play, do you think we’ll be looking at a very different points table after the weekend? Only a few drivers have delivered consistent results so far this season, so I expect the same faces to be battling upfront with a reverse grid format or not. But you can always count on other drivers making mistakes that could throw the championship on its head.
The AM Class has developed two extremely promising talents in Alex Brown and Phoenix’s Raffy Rabe, what do you think this says about the young drivers of the Philippines? There’s definitely a lot of young talented drivers in the Philippines. They just need to be given the opportunity to shine in a program as well put together as Formula V1.
Graduating from go karts, Alex is quickly moving up the motorsports ladder and I wouldn’t be surprised if he races in a regional Formula series next year. Raffy, on the other hand, is already an experienced racer in cars but with the scholarship from Phoenix Petroleum, he was able to progress a lot faster in Formula V1 than he would have in another series.
Aside from the battle at the top, the midpack has also seen lots of pitched battles. Who has impressed you this season? Red Diwa has stood out amongst the AM Class drivers. This is only his debut season in Formula V1, but was able to outrun other more experienced entries and is now 2nd in the class championship. You also have to remember that he’s racing in both Formula V1 and the Vios Cup this year. These are very different disciplines yet is excelling in both championships.
Randolph De Leon, Jamesdeakin.ph
The title leaders are currently separated by 1 point. Are you bold enough to choose a champion before the races start? The last two legs of the Giti-Formula V1 Challenge 2019 have been intense, especially the rain battle in Round 2. As per my observation, I’d predict Estefano Rivera to clinch the title, given his apparent fighting spirit to come out on top during the closing laps of each race.
With a double points and reverse grid system in play, do you think we’ll be looking at a very different points table after the weekend? A double points and reverse grid rule on Round 3 will definitely make things all the more interesting. That said, I’m looking at Stefan Ramirez to get a podium position since I’ve always seen him as a resilient person who would defend his position cleanly until the end.
The AM Class has developed two extremely promising talents in Alex Brown and Phoenix’s Raffy Rabe, what do you think this says about the young drivers of the Philippines? I see great potential in Alex and Raffy. I do hope these kids would maintain their racing spirit once they come across tougher opponents as young Filipino racers today have a lot going for them. They have the spirit and the heart to make it big locally and internationally–they just need the right support from the right people to come out strong. The advent of sim racing is also a big help to fine tune their skills a little more. The racing world is theirs for the taking!
Aside from the battle at the top, the midpack has also seen lots of pitched battles. Who has impressed you this season? As for the mid pack, I’ve seen Dominic Roque as a true force to be taken seriously. I’ve seen him evolve as a rookie and celebrity racer since his Vios Cup days. I feel he has the potential to break into the top runners’ circle come the next season. He will be a champion.
John Rey San Diego, Autocar and Wheelsph
The title leaders are currently separated by 1 point. Are you bold enough to choose a champion before the races start? With double points up for grabs for the third leg, that would be too hard to predict. The champion could be anyone at this point especially with the talented grid that the 2019 Giti-Formula V1 Challenge has for both race classes.
With a double points and reverse grid system in play, do you think we’ll be looking at a very different points table after the weekend? As a fan of the racing series, I do hope so. That will definitely make the closing parts of the season more exciting. With the heightened pressure bringing out the most of the racers, you’ll get to see who can stay composed and focused with all the intensity going around. That would be exciting to watch!
The AM Class has developed two extremely promising talents in Alex Brown and Raffy Rabe, what do you think this says about the young drivers of the Philippines? We have Brown who battles even with the Pro class racers and Rabe who consistently puts up impressive performances since the first leg. I guess this goes to show both that there are actually young racers in the country and also the quality of these young drivers. I’m always looking forward with more motorsports events that would bring out more young Filipino talents like these young gentlemen.
Aside from the battle at the top, the midpack has also seen lots of pitched battles. Who has impressed you this season? I have been a fan of Gaby Dela Merced and watching her race in Formula V1 and making impressive performances in the midfield of the grid is nothing but awesome. Also, seeing the likes of Red Diwa and Raymond Ronquillo both having a smooth transition from Vios Cup to Formula racing is impressive. Both drivers were able to adjust well to Formula V1 and even garnered podium finishes in some of the races.
The Formula V1 race car has a truly analog nature, with no driver aids, that puts the emphasis on individual skill–and this raw driving feel is what a trio of stars experienced firsthand in the first ever Giti-Formula V1 Level Up Challenge! These race-proven celebs are battling for bragging rights as well as P50,000 for the charity of their choice.
We’ve gone through the first seven episodes and are revealing the big winner soon. In case you’ve missed an episode, we’ve got them all here for your official recap!
EPISODE 1: FORMULA V1 101
Did you know the Formula V1 has an engine just like the Vios? JP Tuason tells us all about the first homegrown Formula car in the country!
EPISODE 2: PHOEM BARANDA
The rose among the thorns! Influencer and host Phoem Baranda is our first introduction!
EPISODE 3: JINNO RUFINO
Sports anchor Jinno Rufino, an avid participant in the Vios Cup, and our challenger number 2!
EPISODE 4: SAM YG
Funnyman and host Sam YG introduces himself in the way only he can, rounding out our celebrity trio!
EPISODE 5: COACH DOM AND GABY
We made sure our celebs got some quality training in the form of coaches and current Formula V1 racers Dominic Roque and Gaby Dela Merced! Make sure to catch them racing on October 19-20 at CIS!
EPISODE 6: TRASH TALK
The best episode of all? Phoem, Jinno, and Sam do their best to get in each other’s heads in this episode you shouldn’t miss!
EPISODE 7: LET’S RACE!
If you think getting into a purpose-built formula car and racing is simple…it’s definitely not. The celebs and their rookie mistakes are all here as they hope to eke out the best time!
Stay tuned to http://www.tuasonracing.com and SportsCenter Philippines on ESPN5 as we reveal the final episode and big winner of the first-ever Giti-Formula V1 Level Up Challenge soon!
The Formula V1 race car has a truly analog nature, with no driver aids, that puts the emphasis on individual skill–and this raw driving feel is what a trio of stars experienced firsthand in the first ever Giti-Formula V1 Level Up Challenge! These race-proven celebs are battling for bragging rights as well as P50,000 for the charity of their choice.
Can you expect to get into the rear-wheel drive Formula V1 and not make a mistake on your first try? As you can see from our celebrities’ experiences–it’s tougher than it looks!
The final episode premieres tomorrow, October 5, on ESPN5’s Sportscenter Philippines and back here on tuasonracing.com so stay tuned for the big finale!
The Formula V1 race car has a truly analog nature, with no driver aids, that puts the emphasis on individual skill–and this raw driving feel is what a trio of stars experienced firsthand in the first ever Giti-Formula V1 Level Up Challenge! These race-proven celebs are battling for bragging rights as well as P50,000 for the charity of their choice.
We knew that getting three proud celebs and asking them to race would bring out their competitive sides. That’s why we made sure to keep the cameras rolling for their “friendly” trash talk!
Episode 7 premieres on Friday, October 4, on ESPN5’s Sportscenter Philippines and back here on tuasonracing.com so stay tuned!
Tuason Racing 