Wood initially qualified second for the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy feature race at Highlands Motorsport Park.

However, having failed the minimum ride height test, the #40 MTEC Motorsport Toyota FT-60 was found to be in breach of the technical regulations.

There was mass confusion as Wood was initially set to be disqualified from all three legs of qualifying, but it was later clarified that the sanction would only apply to Q3 – meaning he would start seventh.

Wood and his team lodged a protest to the FIA International Court of Appeal.

With the matter unable to be resolved before Sunday’s race, Wood was to start the race from where he qualified in second but compete under a cloud.

Assuming he finished inside the top three, he would not have been able to appear on the podium or prizegiving.

Now the matter has been resolved by Wood withdrawing his appeal, and will start seventh.

The New Zealand Grand Prix is set to begin at 2:33pm AEDT. Jin Nakamura will start from pole position alongside Zack Scoular. Kanato Le will line up third alongside Freddie Slater. Points leader Ugo Ugochukwu will start from 13th.

Read the full Stewards decision below:

Decision #010 was issued by the Stewards in relation to a technical breach by Car 40 regarding ride. height. It was reviewed by Decision #010A.

The team issued a Notice of Intention to Appeal that decision.

Under the ISC notice of appeal suspends any penalty imposed by the decision under appeal.

The Stewards have now received notice from the team that they have no intention of proceeding with an appeal and will take immediate steps to withdraw it (once that process can be implemented next week).

They now accept Decision #010A and the penalty applied by the Stewards. Accordingly, the Stewards have agreed to allow the team to take the original penalty and have vacated
the suspension imposed in Decision #014.

The team will start Race 3 in the grid position determined by applying the Decision #010A penalty. In that way the team has not bettered its position by instituting the appeal process

This decision is authorised by the Stewards under their Sporting powers and in the interest of the competition and on the grounds of fairness and safety.

In addition, any restrictions imposed under Decision #014 are hereby lifted.

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