As the final pieces of the 2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy fall into place, Kiwi star Ryan Wood has been officially confirmed for the four-round international championship.
With backing from the Tony Quinn Foundation, Ryan has now been confirmed for one of the seats at mtec Motorsport.
Wood is no stranger to New Zealand circuits, having cut a successful path through karting and the Toyota 86 Championship before moving across to Australia to successfully race Porsches and Super 2 V8’s before making the move to Supercars.
And despite his arrival over the past couple of seasons as one of Supercars’ biggest stars, he’s made no secret of his desire to one day compete in New Zealand’s Toyota-run premier single-seater championship. A nice fit is that he will also race in one of the new Toyota Supra Supercars in 2026.
The 2026 Castrol Toyota FR Oceania Trophy also includes the iconic New Zealand Grand Prix, which, along with Macau, is one of only two events outside of F1 with official FIA Grand Prix status. And that’s another box Wood would like to tick.
Having watched Supercars rivals Will Brown, Broc Feeney, and Matt Payne compete in the FT60s successfully over the past few years, Wood is highly motivated to succeed.
He’s going to be competing against some of the brightest young single-seater talent in the world today, including two-time world rally champion Kalle Rovanperä, and he cannot wait for the first round to come.
“Honestly, I am super-excited to make my open wheel racing debut, for me it’s always been something I’ve wanted to do, and especially with Toyota and in CTFROT.
“I’ve watched the championship since I was in karts, so to be doing it now and on home soil is very exciting.
“For me, the four weeks of racing are all about learning and preparing for the 2026 season. I’m delighted to join mtec, learn from my teammates, and develop as a driver. It’s a real full circle moment racing Toyotas in NZ again after starting in ’86s, so I can’t wait to get into it!”
Fans will be able to easily follow Ryan and the championship. Qualifying will be livestreamed on TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand’s YouTube channel. Races will also be on that channel and on SkySport domestically in New Zealand. Races will also be streamed live on the Motorsport.TV platform.
Header Image: Supplied
