Alfonsi Daquigan sweeps Mandalika, delivers first Asia Talent Cup win for PH

Filipino teen motorsport sensation Alfonsi Rei Santos Daquigan stunned Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup field after snatching his maiden victory at Mandalika, Indonesia, taking full advantage of a final-corner crash between frontrunners Ryota Ogiwara and Seiryu Ikegami, Oct 6.

Daquigan had the ideal opportunity to take the lead and become the first Filipino to win the cup after the dramatic conclusion sent both title contenders reeling into the gravel.

All eyes were on the 16-year-old Filipino who won by remaining composed in the face of chaos, with polesitter Haruki Matsuyama and Shingo Iidaka rounding out the podium. 

Daquigan kept up the pace into Race 2, where he doubled his wins with yet another flawless performance, defeating Ikegami in the sprint to the podium line and securing his third-place finish overall.

Before his Mandalika triumph, the rising turbo had already become the first Filipino to finish in the Asia Talent Cup Top 10 last year backed by Honda Philippines, and has since emerged as a beacon for aspiring Filipino racers.

The weekend capped off a breakthrough year for the young talent, whose back-to-back triumphs have put the Philippines firmly on the Asian motorsport map.

As the championship heads to Sepang, Malaysia on October 24–26, the title fight remains alive, but Daquigan’s rise stands as one of the most compelling stories of the season.