Ryan Wood sets the Friday pace in Taupo CTFROT

Ryan Wood at Taupo. Image: Joel Hanks

The Walkinshaw Supercars star made a strong start to weekend, leading the way in the first session on a damp but drying Taupo circuit.

He was a little over a tenth quicker than Aussie James Wharton, who was followed by Freddie Slater, Yevan David and Jin Nakamura.

In the second session Wharton turned the tables on Wood, edging him by nine-hundredths for the quickest time.

Zack Scoular, a race winner at the first round at Hampton Downs, was third fastest from Louis Sharp, Nakamura and David.

Track limits was an issue in the third and final session as drivers went for qualifying simulations, Wood ultimately prevailing with a time two-tenths quicker than Slater.

Wharton was third fastest from Nakamura and Wharton, while series leader Ugo Ugochuwku put in his best performance of the day with the fifth fastest time, after being eighth in the first two sessions.

Competitive action kicks off tomorrow with qualifying and two races.

2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy – R2 Taupo Practice 1

1
40
Ryan WOOD
NZL
MTEC Motorsport

2
13
James WHARTON
AUS
TJ Speed with HMD

3
27
Freddie SLATER
GBR
M2 Competition

4
21
Yevan DAVID
LKA
Kiwi Motorsport

5
12
Jin NAKAMURA
JPN
Hitech

6
11
Louis SHARP
NZL
MTEC Motorsport

7
19
Kanato LE
JPN
Hitech

8
4
Ugo UGOCHUKWU
USA
M2 Competition

9
24
Ernesto RIVERA
MEX
M2 Competition

10
3
Zack SCOULAR
NZL
MTEC Motorsport

11
22
Sebastian MANSON
NZL
M2 Competition

12
52
Nolan ALLAER
USA
Giles Motorsport

13
69
Kalle ROVANPERÄ
FIN
Hitech

14
33
Fionn MCLAUGHLIN
IRL
Hitech

15
14
Cooper SHIPMAN
USA
Kiwi Motorsport

16
5
Yuanpu CUI
CHN
MTEC Motorsport

17
50
Jack TAYLOR
AUS
Giles Motorsport

18
41
Ricardo BAPTISTA
BRA
TJ Speed with HMD

19
8
Trevor LATOURRETTE
USA
TJ Speed with HMD

 
 
 
 

 2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy – R2 Taupo Practice 2

1
13
James WHARTON
AUS
TJ Speed with HMD

2
40
Ryan WOOD
NZL
MTEC Motorsport

3
3
Zack SCOULAR
NZL
MTEC Motorsport

4
11
Louis SHARP
NZL
MTEC Motorsport

5
12
Jin NAKAMURA
JPN
Hitech

6
21
Yevan DAVID
LKA
Kiwi Motorsport

7
27
Freddie SLATER
GBR
M2 Competition

8
4
Ugo UGOCHUKWU
USA
M2 Competition

9
19
Kanato LE
JPN
Hitech

10
22
Sebastian MANSON
NZL
M2 Competition

11
33
Fionn MCLAUGHLIN
IRL
Hitech

12
5
Yuanpu CUI
CHN
MTEC Motorsport

13
52
Nolan ALLAER
USA
Giles Motorsport

14
24
Ernesto RIVERA
MEX
M2 Competition

15
69
Kalle ROVANPERÄ
FIN
Hitech

16
14
Cooper SHIPMAN
USA
Kiwi Motorsport

17
41
Ricardo BAPTISTA
BRA
TJ Speed with HMD

18
50
Jack TAYLOR
AUS
Giles Motorsport

19
8
Trevor LATOURRETTE
USA
TJ Speed with HMD

 2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy – R2 Taupo Practice 3 

1
40
Ryan WOOD
NZL
MTEC Motorsport

2
27
Freddie SLATER
GBR
M2 Competition

3
13
James WHARTON
AUS
TJ Speed with HMD

4
12
Jin NAKAMURA
JPN
Hitech

5
4
Ugo UGOCHUKWU
USA
M2 Competition

6
33
Fionn MCLAUGHLIN
IRL
Hitech

7
24
Ernesto RIVERA
MEX
M2 Competition

8
19
Kanato LE
JPN
Hitech

9
11
Louis SHARP
NZL
MTEC Motorsport

10
52
Nolan ALLAER
USA
Giles Motorsport

11
21
Yevan DAVID
LKA
Kiwi Motorsport

12
50
Jack TAYLOR
AUS
Giles Motorsport

13
3
Zack SCOULAR
NZL
MTEC Motorsport

14
22
Sebastian MANSON
NZL
M2 Competition

15
5
Yuanpu CUI
CHN
MTEC Motorsport

16
69
Kalle ROVANPERÄ
FIN
Hitech

17
14
Cooper SHIPMAN
USA
Kiwi Motorsport

18
41
Ricardo BAPTISTA
BRA
TJ Speed with HMD

19
8
Trevor LATOURRETTE
USA
TJ Speed with HMD