![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Ryan-Wood-AGP.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRyan Wood at Albert Park. Image: InSyde Media <\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRyan Wood at Albert Park. Image: InSyde Media <\/p>\n
The 22-year-old scored Toyota\u2019s first Supercars podium in the Supra\u2019s fifth race start during the recent Melbourne SuperSprint.<\/p>\n
That came despite its V8 engine remaining a work in progress and the team still getting its head around the aerodynamic package.<\/p>\n
The car\u2019s unique shape and in particular its heavily sculpted lower sill area has also added to the challenge of simply getting in and out of the car.<\/p>\n
Wood told MotorSport New Zealand\u2019s new Inside Line program the Supra\u2019s shape means driver changes during the Enduro Cup are \u201cgoing to be hard\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sill on the Supra comes out [further], so it makes it very hard to hook your leg over,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor someone who\u2019s quite short and not very flamboyant in getting in and out of the car, it\u2019s going to be a tough enduro season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I\u2019m going to get pretty good at pilates before we get to that part of the year and try and limber up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI already have bruises on the back side of my leg because of it, because it\u2019s harder to get in and out of, I would never have had that in the Mustang.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just little things. Your body and brain will get used to it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy the time the enduros come around we should be OK, but it\u2019s definitely going to be a bit harder than the other cars.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wood is set to share his Supra in the Enduro Cup with recruit Jaxon Evans, while teammate Chaz Mostert is again joined by Fabian Coulthard.<\/p>\n
For now, Wood noted the team is figuring out how to extract speed from the Supra package.<\/p>\n
The Kiwi is seventh in the standings after seven races thanks to four top 10 finishes, while the next-best Toyota driver is Mostert in 10th.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe aero platform is a bit different and that\u2019s what we\u2019ve started to learn, we\u2019re working in different numbers than we\u2019ve ever worked in,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe car\u2019s reacting differently to changes and heights and everything like that compared to the Ford Mustang. It\u2019s starting from scratch, it\u2019s not easy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a little bit of a mind boggle because you get so used to something and so reliant on changes. Your first instinct is to go \u2018last year we did this and it worked\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat doesn\u2019t work anymore, so we\u2019re going out of our wheelhouse and getting new information to make sure we move forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe car itself does things that we wished the Mustang would have done and the Supra does stuff vice versa.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a game of to and fro\u2019s and we\u2019ve got to keep developing, but the exciting part is there\u2019s a lot more positives in the car than negatives after two rounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a big future I think with this product. The engine is obviously something that needs work, but the actual car balance is pretty cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
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