Supercars driving standards advisor Craig Baird has apologised for calling driver Ryan Wood "a grub" after a controversial 2025 championship collision. The comment, made while discussing Wood’s role in helping teammate Chaz Mostert secure the title, sparked a formal reprimand from Motorsport Australia for violating professional standards.
Craig Baird, the driving standards advisor for Supercars, has apologised for calling Ryan Wood "a grub." Wood is a driver for TWG Racing, and Baird's comments were made in the context of a controversial crash at the 2025 championship.
In a recent interview, Baird described Wood as "a bit of a grub" for his role in helping teammate Chaz Mostert win the championship. Motoring Australia has since released a statement apologising to Wood and his team.
Motorsport Australia has formally apologised to Wood and Walkinshaw TWG Racing. The governing body also reprimanded Baird for breaching the standards of Motorsport Australia.
Baird, who has been the Supercars driving standards advisor for several years, offered a formal apology to Wood and his team. "I would like to formally apologise and retract my comments regarding Ryan Wood and the Walkinshaw TWG Racing Team," he said.
"I have met with Motorsport Australia to ensure I have a clear understanding regarding public commentary of this nature. I understand that this isn't acceptable from the Driving Standards Advisor."
Motorsport Australia also released a statement regarding the incident, saying that Baird will be reprimanded for his actions. The organisation stated that Baird's comments were "unacceptable and outside the boundaries of his role."
The controversy began at the 2025 championship, where Wood's teammate Chaz Mostert and Triple Eight Race Engineering's Broc Feeney were the two genuine championship contenders. Feeney had won 14 races and achieved a record 19 pole positions that year. Mostert, who had just one win before the finals, had a chance to claim the title.
Wood tagged the back of Feeney on the opening lap of the finale and spun him around, all but ending his title challenge. Feeney finished a distant 20th, Wood was handed a 15-second penalty, and Mostert claimed the Supercars crown.
Craig Baird, the driving standards advisor, made the comments in an interview talking about the controversial end to the 2025 championship. He said he predicted Wood would make an audacious overtake attempt on Feeney to help his teammate win the Supercars crown.
"I think everyone knew, including Woody, that he had been a bit of a grub," Baird told Code Sports.
Baird also claimed he had said to the stewards prior to the race that "if I was Woody, I am going to throw it up the inside of Broc Feeney no matter what happens." He said this would occur at turn four or six and on the first lap.
Ryan Wood is a well-known driver in the Supercars championship. He has been driving for TWG Racing since 2018 and has won several races throughout his career. Wood's team has consistently been a dominant force in the championship.
The incident has sparked a heated debate in the Supercars community, with many drivers and fans expressing their disappointment with Baird's comments. The controversy has highlighted the need for sportsmanship and respectful behaviour in motorsport.
Motorsport Australia has announced that they will be taking steps to ensure that incidents like this don't happen in the future. The organisation will be reviewing their rules and regulations to prevent similar incidents from occurring.
Motorsport Australia has formally apologised to TWG Racing and driver Ryan Wood. The organisation has stated that Baird's comments were "unacceptable and outside the boundaries of his role."
• Ryan Wood was given a 15-second penalty for his role in the 2025 championship crash. • MotorSport Australia has reprimanded Craig Baird for breaching the standards of Motorsport Australia. • The 2025 championship was won by Chaz Mostert. • The incident has sparked a heated debate in the Supercars community, with many drivers and fans expressing their disappointment with Baird's comments. • MotorSport Australia has announced that they will be taking steps to ensure that incidents like this don't happen in the future.