The Toyota Vios Lady Cup is a one-make championship for the Toyota Vios in Thailand.
Toyota has been using one-make racing series to promote the 1500cc, compact Vios throughout southeast Asia and actively encourages female drivers, including celebrities, but Toyota Thailand has the only dedicated women’s championship.
In 2019, the Lady Cup runs as part of the Thai Super GT package and shares a grid with the Toyota Altis one-make series, which is open to men and women. This has varied a little by year; some seasons it has been part of the Division 2 Vios Cup.
The championship began in 2008 and has been held every year since then. It currently consists of five rounds, held at Saphan Hin Park, Bangsaen, Korat, Chang (Buriram) and the 700th Anniversary Stadium. Races are 20 laps long. Grid sizes fluctuate between about eight and twenty cars.
Tanchanok Charoensukawatana has been the series’ most successful driver in recent years, winning at least two titles. In 2019, she moved onto the main Vios Cup grid. The championship has several long-term competitors, including Bamisa Busitarnuntakul and Danielle Char, who is from Hong Kong. Most of the drivers hail from Thailand, although a few like Danielle Char and Japanese champion Rina Ito come from abroad to race. Other Japanese entrants have included drifter Michie Mimoto and former grid girl Miyu Kitabayashi. Although there is no celebrity class as in the Philippines, celebrity drivers seem to be welcome and have included Anglo-Thai model Nathalie Davis in the past.
Below is a highly incomplete list of Vios Lady Cup champions, which will be added to when more information is found.
2018 Tanchanok Charoensukawatana
2017 Rina Ito (Japan)
2016 Tanchanok Charoensukawatana
2015 Praewphan Thammalapa
(Image copyright Boxza Racing)