Pursuing ever-better: Inside the grit and grind of Asia's best sim racers' hunt for glory at the 2024 Toyota GR GT Cup Global Finals

Motorsports has always been a spectacle of speed, skill, and sacrifice—but often for the privileged, gated by steep costs and limited opportunities.

In a world where rising expenses often curtail motorsport ambitions, sim racing has emerged as the great equaliser. For dreamers like Malaysia's Taj Aiman and Indonesia's Andika Rama, it’s a lifeline to prove that Asia's racers can stand tall amongst the world's best.

Come 7-December, the historic streets of Amsterdam will welcome 24 of the world’s best Gran Turismo racers for the 2024 Toyota Gazoo Racing Gran Turismo (TGR GT) Cup Global Finals.

Among them are Aiman and Rama, standing proud as our Asian representatives, having secured first and second place respectively in the regional finals. Here's their story.

From dreams to digital podiums

Though contrasting in personality—Rama’s brash confidence complements Aiman’s quiet determination—they are here today, united by a shared love for cars and the thrill of competition.

“It’s my dream to be a racing driver,” says Rama. “Racing is one of the most expensive sports, so I started with Gran Turismo 1 in elementary school,” offering a peek into his go-getter mentality.

Similarly, Aiman’s passion began early. “I got into Gran Turismo 2 and 3 because of my love for cars,” says the 27-year-old Kuala Lumpur native.

Chalk it up to kismet, but as time passed a childhood pastime grew into a serious endeavour. “I bought my first steering wheel in 2010,” shares Rama. “Then, I joined local races and, in 2012, raced in my first international competition in Sepang.”

Since then, he’s blazed a trail in major sim racing competitions, excelling in titles beyond Gran Turismo. Meanwhile, Aiman’s focus on the Gran Turismo series fueled his meteoric rise.

“I only started my sim-racing career 5 or 6 years ago,” Aiman explains. “I got more serious during the pandemic, that's when I saw the Toyota GR Supra GT Cup advertised on social media. I tried it, and that’s how my journey started."

His talent was quickly evident—placing second in the regional finals that year and later representing Malaysia at the inaugural Olympic Virtual Series.

The grind behind the glory

While their collective pasts brought them to the levels they're on today, their focus now is nowhere else but Amsterdam. Shouldering the weight of their nations' hopes prompted them to think of their approach.

Aiman is grounded in the present. It will be his first time in the TGR GT Cup Global Finals, and while he has covered a lot up till now, the work is far from over. "More practice and gaining experience is still very important,” he says.

30-year-old Rama is a little more contemplative. This is his third shot at the Global Finals, and though victory is the goal, he senses the competition will be tougher this time.

“Even at the national levels, the competition is a lot tougher and tighter. The regional finals were also much harder than before, and even if this is my third time in the Global Finals, I think it will be a lot more challenging,” he says with a smile.

Perhaps that's the trademark Asian humility, but make no mistake that the duo have, and will be, slogging it out until the very end. Rama likens the spectacle as close to real-life racing, and has the discipline to match his drive.

"If you keep missing practices, you won't be able to compete in the top levels, so my weekly schedule is a lot of driving," says Rama, who streams his sessions on his YouTube channel.

It’s a grueling schedule—six hours or more of daily practice, perfecting car setups, and mastering track layouts, says Aiman. That’s only part of the equation; the other major aspect is mental resilience.

Rama emphasises the importance of self-belief. “It’s all about the practice. If we practice a lot, and we believe in ourselves—setting targets, saying ‘I can do this’—then it helps us focus. This matters a lot,” he says, noting that physical fitness plays an equally vital role in maintaining top performance.

And sim racing demands surprising physical endurance. To put it in perspective: imagine twisting a 5 kg weight at arm’s length for 20 minutes straight—that’s how handling a competition-use, 8 Nm force-feedback steering wheel feels.

It’s a full-body challenge, where both physical stamina and sharp mental focus are prerequisites for success.

The embodiment of Kaizen

At the heart of this relentless pursuit lies the philosophy of kaizen—a commitment to continuous improvement that drives both racers forward.

"If we lose a race or don’t meet expectations, we don’t give up—we see it as a learning opportunity," Aiman explains. "To get faster, you need that mindset. Keep learning, keep asking, ‘How can I improve?’ That’s how I become a better racer and a better person," Rama adds.

This relentless drive for improvement mirrors Toyota’s kaizen philosophy and their commitment to making motorsports accessible through sim racing. Toyota’s initiatives ensure that with enough talent and passion, anyone can step into the world of competitive motorsports.

"Thank you to Toyota for providing us with one of the biggest stages of simracing in Asia. They make us shine brighter, showing real talent to the world. Toyota’s support gives us a platform to showcase our talents, and it feels like real motorsport with real competition," says Rama.

Aiman adds, "Without Toyota, I wouldn’t even be here. TGR Asia has been incredibly supportive over the last 5–6 years," as he highlights how opportunities like media training and a global exposure became quite a large part of his holistic journey as a simracer under the Toyota banner.

On a global scale, few manufacturers embrace sim racing the way Toyota does, fully integrating it into their motorsport portfolio. Since 2019, sim racing has been a key pillar of Gazoo Racing, expanding globally to make motorsports and sports cars more accessible to the masses.

The results speak for themselves. In Japan, winners of the TGR e-Motorsports Challenge progress to the SL-series karting championship, a vital stepping stone for aspiring racers.

In Malaysia, the TGR Driver Development Programme, which scouts young talents, has produced stars like Naquib Azlan. Having cut his teeth on simulators, he went on to be the Toyota Vios Challenge's first-ever Rookie-class champion, and today claims podiums in GT4-class racing in Thailand.

Representing Asia on the Global Stage

This journey takes on a new dimension with Aiman and Rama’s partnership, underscoring the "One Team Asia" mentality. For Rama, this collaboration transcends nationalities. "I’m really happy to have Taj as my teammate. It’s like Indonesia and Malaysia blending together. We’re not thinking about nationalities—just Asia," he said.

Aiman sees their partnership as a chance to strengthen their performance. "We’ll train together and trade weaknesses and strengths. Andika is more experienced than me, but we'll tutor each other," he shared.

Their camaraderie is bolstered by family support. "I think when they let me stay in my room for hours is already super supportive, just giving us time to practice, I'm very thankful for that," says Rama.

Aiman's family is more hands-on. "They’ve always supported me, giving words of encouragement and they go with me to every competition so I couldn’t ask for more. They were there in Bangsar [for the regional finals] and planning to go to Amsterdam as well," he says.

That said, it's a team effort, and that is something they remember well. The racers still team up with the rest of the simracers in their country, regularly practicing together as the Global Finals loom.

Future of e-Motorsports in Asia

Looking ahead, both racers are optimistic about e-motorsports in Asia. "It’s growing. More young people are joining, and grassroots events are popping up. This proves the scene is improving. In the future, we’ll see even more talent emerging," Rama said.

Aiman hopes this growth inspires newcomers to consider sim racing as a career. "In Malaysia, more competitions are happening, and I hope new racers will see this as a viable career path," he shared.

Their advice for aspiring racers? "If you’re stuck, watch others, keep practicing, and keep learning," Rama said. Aiman agreed: "Take it slow. Progress might not come instantly, but it’s there. Enter every race and do your best."

As they prepare for the global stage, their goals extend beyond personal success. "We want the world to see that Asia’s racers are not just fast in Asia—we can compete and win globally," Aiman said.

For Aiman and Rama, this journey is about more than racing. As they hit the virtual tracks in Amsterdam, the world will witness not just their speed, but their commitment to becoming ever-better—a testament to the spirit of a region hungry for global recognition.

Game on, boys.