Wood gets GT drive
By Thomas Miles
Date posted: 28 March 2025
Steve Brooks has signed Walkinshaw Andretti United star Ryan Wood for the first round of GT World Challenge Australia.
Wood will drive a Pro Am Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II for Melbourne Performance Centre at the Phillip Island season opener on April 4-6.
The WAU youngster may be making his GT World Challenge Australia debut, but he is no stranger to sports cars competition.
Wood started his Australian racing career in Porsche Sprint Challenge in 2022 where he finished a close second to Tom Sargeant.
The Kiwi took eight wins from 15 races across the season and left his mark to be named as Team Porsche New Zealand Scholarship driver in 2023.
But with Supercars his dream he jumped to Super2 with WAU and did not look back, breaking into the main game last year.
Wood has already steered the Audi at Wednesday’s test day and is looking forward to the challenge.
“I got a few laps at Phillip Island and it was interesting to get an understanding of how much aero the cars have,” said Wood.
“I’m probably still a little bit fresh to GT3 at the moment, so I’m still working on where I can push, but to be racing with MPC and in one of its Audis … they are probably the most successful GT3 team that Australia has.
“There’s lots of data and a whole heap of other fast guys that are gonna be under the same banner. That will help my learning curve.
“It’s great to be partnered with Steve. He is quite new to racing but what he has managed to learn and show in a race car in the first two or three years is pretty impressive, especially for someone that just does it as a hobby.
“I think by the end of the year he should be well amongst the front Bronze rated guys.
“I’m only confirmed to be in the car for the first round at Phillip Island. Steve’s planning on doing the rest of the year but I hope that we can have a good start to the year, get a few trophies and hopefully he invites me back!”
Brooks is a regular in the New Zealand 3 Hour Endurance Racing Championship and is excited to take on the Aussie tracks.
“The only Aussie track that I’ve raced on is The Bend. I did a practice day at Phillip Island earlier this week, but other than that I haven’t done any other laps in Australia,” said Brooks.
“My big advantage will be the final round of the championship at Hampton Downs … I’m looking forward to showing everyone up there.
“he others can show me up at the Australian tracks, but when we get to Hampton Downs, I’m going to show them a thing or two!
“It will be really cool to share the seat with Ryan. I have supported him right from the start of his career and he hit me up for sponsorship earlier this year.
“I said “Ryan, I probably got something better for you” and I kept it under wraps for a while and then said “let’s go and do Phillip Island in GT.”
Image: Mark Horsburgh
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