Ryan Wood continued his impressive transition into single-seater racing at Taupo with a weekend that blended raw speed, composure under pressure and growing confidence. At Round 2 of the 2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy (CTFROT), Wood, driving for mtec Motorsport driver delivered a decisive late lap in Qualifying 1 to secure pole position, before converting that advantage into a controlled Race 1 victory. A far more unpredictable second race later in the day tested his adaptability, yet Wood still emerged with valuable track position and momentum heading into Sunday.
Still early in his open-wheel journey, Wood used Taupo to underline both his honesty in self-assessment and his ability to learn quickly in a fiercely competitive field. His reflections across qualifying and both races revealed a driver balancing ambition with patience, and confidence with realism.
Qualifying execution sets the tone for Wood’s weekend in Taupo
Wood’s pole position did not come from a flawless lap, but from maximising what he had when it mattered most. He acknowledged that the session demanded commitment in the closing moments, particularly through the final sector, where the smallest gains made the biggest difference.
“Yeah, it was good. I was actually probably a little bit dirtier myself with the Quali, didn’t really put down the lap I really probably wanted or needed and sort of got lucky that I was good enough through the last two corners to sort of put myself in a position to be on pole.
That front-row advantage allowed Wood to approach the opening race with clarity. Rather than overdriving, he focused on control, rhythm and race management, turning qualifying pace into a measured performance once the lights went out.
“So that was good and then built on that for the race and the race one really went smoothly and just managed it.
The second race of the day told a very different story. With the reversed grid compressing the field and increasing risk, Wood faced constant pressure and shifting scenarios, yet he emerged with his objectives intact.
“And then, yeah, Race 2 then was pretty chaotic and hectic, but nice to get through that and start on a decent position tomorrow and yeah, try to build from that.
Surpassing expectations in a competitive field
Given the depth of talent in the CTFROT grid, Wood admitted that he did not expect such immediate competitiveness. The strength of the field and the limited nature of his single-seater experience made early success far from guaranteed.
“Probably not just because of how competitive it is and the field is really, really stacked. So I probably didn’t think that I’d be as competitive as I am straight up, but look, I’m happy.
He pointed to Hampton Downs as a pivotal learning weekend. While results there did not fully reflect his pace, the lessons carried forward and helped him arrive at Taupo better prepared and more confident.
“Hampton [Downs], we probably just actually made a meal of the weekend as a whole, myself and a few just areas in Quali and stuff like that. But other than that, I still felt like we learnt a lot and gave us a lot of confidence coming into here. I know the track well and that really played dividends today and yeah, looking to try and build on that tomorrow.
Despite his own progress, Wood remained acutely aware of the threats around him. Strong pace from rival teams ensured that strategy and positioning would remain crucial as the weekend unfolded.
“Ugo [Ugochukwu] and the M2 cars were pretty fast. Obviously, James was fast in that last race, so hopefully we played a little bit of a different role or plan in that race and hopefully that pays us back for race three tomorrow.”
Fundamentals, teamwork and patience define Round 2 of the 2026 CTFROT at Taupo
When asked about the relevance of his tin-top and GT background, Wood dismissed the idea of direct technical crossover. Instead, he leaned into simplicity, instinct and a willingness to learn.
“Not really. It’s got a throttle and a brake and a steering wheel and four tyres and that’s probably about it. But I don’t know, I just go and drive as fast as I can.
Behind that simplicity sits a strong team environment. Wood credited mtec Motorsport’s collective progress, highlighting the value of competitive teammates and shared development across the garage.
“I’ve got really fast teammates that I can learn off inside the team and help push the car in the right direction. And I think as a whole at mtec, we’ve made a little bit of a gain across all our cars. Obviously, Zack [Scoular] starting on pole tomorrow. They went for a different sort of plan before that race to set themselves up for tomorrow.
That environment has also shaped Wood’s personal approach, shifting his focus toward consistency and complete weekends rather than isolated highs.
“So look, I think we’re pretty solid as a group right now. We probably just all had a few bad races at Hampton and just need to tidy up our weekends as a whole. So that’s a plan for myself. I was patient then and was more looking for a good starting spot for Race 3 and try to build on that.”
Early success brings freedom
With a race win secured so early in his single-seater campaign, Wood feels no urgency to prove himself. Instead, each outing now serves as another step in his development curve.
“So look, I think each weekend I’m going to learn more and more and try and get more and more competitive. But to win a race now, I don’t feel like I have to go out there and prove anything. So I didn’t feel like that beforehand. But in the back of my mind, you always want to win. So to do that early is nice.
Free from championship pressure, Wood approaches the remainder of the season with a clear objective: disrupt the established order and continue sharpening his craft.
“And yeah, I’m not really in with the championship shot. So it’s just trying to upset the apple cart from here on in.”
