Filipino car racing phenom Iñigo Anton delivered a highly impressive performance at the TAIPEI INTERNATIONAL GYMKHANA PRIZE (TIGP), securing a spot on the podium amidst stiff competition from 50 of the world’s top gymkhana racers representing 16 countries. The “Fast Filipino” was the only racer in the event who consistently finished in the top 3 in the qualifying and male solo events. Competing nations for the international trophy included Germany, Japan, Slovakia, Great Britain, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, India, Nepal and most of the South East Asian nations which included winners of the 2022 Auto Slalom Cup at the FIA Motorsport Games and Team Indonesia who were the champions of the 2023 Asia Pacific Motorsport Championship.
Team Philippines, under the banner of the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP), fielded the youngest racers at the International trophy event. Anton who is only 19 years old, was joined by Philippines Slalom champions Raymond Paul Base and Christine Torres.
Anton made his mark early on by setting the fastest time during official practice, showcasing his precision and skill on the course. He managed a 3rd place finish in qualifying after a down the wire battle against Vietnam Ace Hoang Duc Pham and top ranked Indonesian gymkhana driver Benedictus Anjasara Wahyu who took the top spot of the podium for the qualifying trophy event. Base finished 24th due to an error and Torres finished 9th for the women’s competition.
The qualifying results propelled Anton as one of the top drivers seeded for the men’s knock out stages where they were given one run each and faced elimination after every stage. As the competition intensified in the knock-out rounds, Anton proved his mettle by advancing to the finals. Anton calculatedly maneuvered his way to the final four, where he faced the powerhouse drivers of Indonesia, Korea, and Vietnam for the International and Asians Championship trophies.
Anton, knowing he had to risk it all during his final run for a shot at gold, tried a hand brake maneuver at the tight chicane, which cost him dearly by knocking out a cone and receiving a two-second penalty during his final run, resulting in a total time of 53.571 seconds. Vietnam’s Hoang Duc Pham, who ran after Anton also went for the daring maneuver at the same chicane, faltered, and finished with a total time of 55.235, leaving them both eliminated for the gold but with Anton taking the Bronze in both competitions. Korea’s Yeohwan Yun and Indonesia’s Adrian Septianto Utomo made it to the finals with the latter taking the overall crown.
“The racers were on a different level. It was all or nothing on my last run so my coach (his father, Carlos Anton) and I decided to go for broke and at least go down swinging if we did not make it. Luckily, we still beat Vietnam who also put it all on the line. I am so happy to get a podium at this event. My dad also finished third here 19 years ago during the inaugural event. I am grateful to the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) for trusting us to carry the flag and hopefully we made the Philippines proud,” Anton said after the event.
In the Nations cup Men’ Finals Anton and Base finished 5th overall out of 16 countries. They just missed out on landing on the final 4 by a mere 0.282 of a second to team Kyrgyzstan. In the mixed doubles event, Anton and Torres finished a respectable 9th in their first outing as a team.
AAP representative Jhon Carlo Quillain commended the team’s youthful energy and the valuable experience gained from competing at such a high level. With an eye on the upcoming event in Korea, the team aims to build on their success and continue representing their country with pride and skill.
In a social media post, CTMS President Dr. Kwong Wing YEUNG said, “As the youngest driver in the field, Inigo’s skill and determination made him a standout worth watching. Like father, like son! The Antons embody a legacy of excellence and dedication in the world of autogymkhana.”
Dr. YEUNG highlighted the event’s broader mission to showcase top gymkhana drivers and promote grassroots motorsport accessibility and participation. “The goal of the TIGP is not only to provide a platform for the world’s best gymkhana drivers to compete and potentially become global icons for grassroots motorsport,” he emphasized. “Equally important is our mission to encourage broader participation in this safe, affordable, and enjoyable motorsport accessible to all.”
