Wood tops GT World Challenge Phillip Island practice

Wood’s best lap in the morning – a 1:26.1549s – came on just his seventh lap in chilly conditions before banking the fastest lap of the day – a 1:26.0696s – late on Friday afternoon.

Wood, who is sharing the #88 Team BRM Audi R8 with Kiwi compatriot Steve Brooks, put four tenths on his nearest rival in Practice 1 and had a two tenths advantage at the end of Practice 2.

“It’s really nice to join the team here at BRM. It’s been a lot of fun,” Wood told Speedcafe.

“I’ve obviously got really fast teammates, so it’s been really good for me and Brooksy to learn off what they do and I feel like we’ve made a good step from probably where we were last year as me and Steve driving the car.

“All in all happy, but still a lot to try and learn. I think there are some really fast cars. I think we’re there or thereabouts, I think there are a few cars that are on par, if not a little bit faster, so we’ll see how we go tomorrow.”

This season, Wood has reunited with engineer James Marshall. The pair worked closely together when Wood raced a Toyota 86 in New Zealand and later raced for his eponymous Porsche team in the South Island Endurance Series.

“It’s like getting the band back together,” said Wood.

“I’ve had a lot to do with James. It’s probably the first time since racing 86s that he’s engineered me.

“Having him back here it’s cool, so it’s been good. It’s been good fun, so we’ll have a laugh and try bring home some trophies.

“The weather is probably the thing that’s not on our side at the moment for tomorrow.”

Wood and Brooks have this year moved camps from Melbourne Performance Centre while remaining in an Audi R8.

“They’ve obviously been really, really solid the last couple of years with Alex [Peroni] and Mark [Rosser],” said Wood of Team BRM.

“I was really looking forward to driving alongside Alex because I reckon he’s probably been one of the benchmark GT3 drivers in Australia, and unfortunately he’s not here this weekend.

“I’m looking forward to teaming up with him as the year goes on and the team runs a really good operation.

“It was just through Steve having a contact [at Team BRM after the [Bathurst] 12 Hour and it just felt right for him, so I just do what the boss says.

“I also can’t thank everyone enough at MPC for last year and what they did because they’re a good bunch of guys as well.”

Mercedes and Audi ruled the roost on Friday morning, with the #66 Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG of Jayden Ojeda/Paul Lucchitti second fastest.

Thomas Randle was third-fastest in the #268 Team BRM Audi with Mark Rosser while Brendon Leitch and Oscar Targett completed the top five in the #44 and #56 for Tigani with Sergio Pires and Shane Smollen respectively.

After going red flag-free in Practice 1, it was an eventful second session on Friday afternoon.

Targett’s co-driver Smollen put their Mercedes-AMG off the road and then Matt Stoupas did the same in the #24 Melbourne Performance Centre Audi.

Wood was fastest ahead of the #1 Melbourne Performance Centre Audi with of Broc Feeney and Brad Schumacher.

The top five was completed by Ojeda/Lucchitti, Randle/Rosser, and the #26 Arise Racing GT Ferrari 296 of Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte.

GT World Challenge Australia will continue on Saturday with the first leg of qualifying at 11:15am AEDT.

Coverage will be live and exclusively on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports.

Results: GT World Challenge Australia Phillip Island, Practice 1

Results: GT World Challenge Australia Phillip Island, Practice 2