BAGUIO CITY — Filipino racing driver Iñigo Anton bounced back from a disappointing season opener to capture a commanding victory in the Formula Trophy Malaysia at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, over the weekend. He also seized the lead for the overall championship after two rounds. The 21-year-old Anton dominated the weekend races, topping the practice sessions, claiming pole position in the qualifying, winning race 1 on Saturday and recording the fastest lap as he outpaced a competitive international field featuring drivers backed by prominent European racing academies. Driving for AXLE Sports, managed by former Formula One driver Alex Yoong, Anton clocked 30 minutes and 44.529 seconds to rule the 14-lap opening race on Saturday, finishing ahead of Britain’s Timo Jüngling of Xcel Motorsport and AXLE teammate Jaime Ambrose. Anton finished outside the podium in race 2 but recovered with a second-place finish in race 3 on Sunday. Germany’s Jesse Phillips of LN4 Fusion topped race 2, followed by China’s Chen Sicong and the Netherlands’ Rafael Vaessen. Jüngling, meanwhile, ruled race 3 in 31:24.161, with Anton taking second place ahead of Ambrose. Anton’s performance in Malaysia earned the lone Filipino driver on the grid enough points to move on top of the championship standings heading into the season finale. Anton faced stiff competition from drivers associated with international racing programs, including Phillips, a European karting champion, and Oleksandr Bondarev of the Williams Racing Junior Academy. Both compete for LN4 Fusion, a racing outfit co-founded by Formula One race winner Lando Norris. The Filipino driver was coached during the Malaysian round by Alister Yoong, son of AXLE Sports team manager Alex Yoong, whose guidance and race strategy helped Anton deliver a strong performance. “After a really disappointing round 1, we knew we had to come back with a vengeance,” Anton said, crediting his coach and the entire AXLE Sports team for preparing a competitive car. The victory marked a significant turnaround for Anton, the 2025 Formula 4 Southeast Asia rookie champion, following a difficult opening round at the Formula Trophy Bahrain event. Anton also acknowledged the support of his early sponsors, including Motul Infiniteserv, Alpinestars, Yokohama, Timemaster Watches and Blue Coffee Distributor, which helped pave his way into Formula 4 racing. With the championship in sight, Anton is expected to carry the Philippine flag into the season-ending round as he seeks to secure another major milestone in his international racing career. HARLEY PALANGCHAO