Wood makes Toyota debut in whirlwind Supercars pre-season

This weekend marks an early Toyota debut of sorts for Kiwi young gun Ryan Wood, who is set to take on the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy (CTFROT) over the next four weeks in New Zealand.

22-year-old Wood is set to be one of five inaugural drivers of the Toyota GR Supra in the Repco Supercars Championship, completing one half of homologation team Walkinshaw TWG's roster with reigning champion Chaz Mostert.

However, the Wellingtonian will get an early start to life Toyota colours, contesting the rapid-fire four-week CTFROT open-wheel series in his native New Zealand.

A pathway category to Formula One, the series has been won by the likes of reigning world champion Lando Norris and Lance Stroll on their paths to F1.

Now, Wood finds himself contesting against the next crop of rookies looking to emulate Norris and become world champion, as well as two-time World Rally Championship winner Kalle Rovanperä, who makes his first open-wheel start after sensationally walking away from rally.

"The next four weeks is no break for me, I'm really excited to be racing in the CTFROT championship and starting my relationship off with Toyota off well," said Wood at Hampton Downs.

"It's really exciting, something I've really wanted to do for a long time, and I've never done open wheelers before.

"I'm a little bit out of my depth but learning lots, I've got really fast teammates, two Kiwi guys and a Chinese fella, so it's been really cool, it's early days and already I'm pretty sore, but got a long four weeks coming up."

Wood will drive for the four-car MTEC Motorsport team alongside countrymen Louis Sharp and Zack Scoular, as well as Chinese driver Yunapu Cui.

Continuing his busy start to 2026, Wood also hinted at a deal to make his debut in the Meguiar's Bathurst 12 Hour from February 13-15, though no announcements have been made as of time of publication.

It all comes as part of a plan to stay as match fit as possible ahead of the Supercars season, with Wood also impressing in GT World Challenge Australia appearances last year.

"I think it's the best prep I can get, I think for me it's all about driving as much as I can.

"Growing up I wasn't in a position to do more than one championship in one year, but to now be racing two, three championships a year is really special, and I'm really fulfilling a really cool goal for me to be racing cars most weekends of the year.

"It's going to be a really action-packed start to the year, obviously with the Bathurst 12 Hour and everything like that as well, so it's going to be really cool."

Having now had a brief taste of the GR Supra package at Winton in Victoria, Wood admitted to excitement beginning to build ahead of the new era for Walkinshaw TWG Racing.

It's also a full circle moment in Wood's young career, which started in the New Zealand Toyota 86 Championship at the beginning of the decade.

"Very special period for us and our whole team, it's really, really cool, and to go into the new year, I think we've all been very excited.

"We had our goal achieved with ending the relationship with Ford very well and getting that championship, and now moving into '26 we can really build with Toyota.

"For me starting that relationship in New Zealand, I actually started my racing career in the Toyota 86, so to be where I am today is really cool."

In practice today for the opening round at Hampton Downs, Wood has taken to the cars like a duck to water, topping the final two practice sessions out of the three held. There will be four races held across the weekend.

Fans wanting to watch Wood's pre-season can do so via Fox Sports and Kayo in Australia, Sky Sports in New Zealand, and globally on YouTube, including in Australia

The opening round of the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship will be held at the Sydney 500 from February 20-22. Tickets for the event, including free entry for the opening race on Friday, February 20, are on sale now.