O’Keeffe, Jane seal championships as Love wins Adelaide

Fast final race delivers championship titles to long-term Carrera Cup contenders

DYLAN O’KEEFFE and Rodney Jane have prevailed in claiming their respective titles in the 2025 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship. 

Needing only to finish in the Equity-One Pro class to seal his first championship, O’Keeffe raced hard early before conserving later in Sunday’s sprint race to ensure he comfortably claimed the title.

Meanwhile, Jane finished second to do all he needed to do in order to seal his third Acronis Pro-Am championship in style, while he also claimed the Adelaide round win – the third of his season.

Sunday’s race was claimed by Aaron Love, who out-muscled Glen Wood into the first corner and then spent most of the race defending from the EBM driver behind.

The pair crossed the line in close company to not only win the race, but claim 1-2 in the round result as well.

It was Love’s first round win since Bathurst 2022 and Wood’s first podium result, full stop. Love also ensured McElrea Racing claimed their first round win in more than 12 months.

In third was Angelo Mouzouris, who passed O’Keeffe mid-race to climb into the top three of the race but also the round as well. Like Wood, it was the Sonic driver’s first ever Carrera Cup podium, having twice finished fourth in his previous 31 round starts.

Dale Wood finished fourth in a clean and fast-paced season finale’ while Harri Jones – in his 99th career race – charged from outside the top-10 to fifth position to end his title defending year second overall in the standings.

O’Keeffe finished a safe seventh; ensuring he finished the year as champion.

The 27-year-old Victorian made his Porsche Carrera Cup debut in 2016 as a teenager and had twice finished third in the championship prior to securing his maiden crown this weekend.

His season was a model of consistency, anchored by a dominant round victory and clean sweep in the Top End in Darwin in June. Runner-up finishes at Albert Park, The Bend and Bathurst and third in Sydney ensured he continued to score well across the year and put him in a strong position to dictate terms in the Adelaide finale’.

His career had twice included finishing third in the championship, three round victories, 18 career podium finishes and seven race wins – including three this year.

Jones’ finished second overall for his debut year as a team owner and driver, while David Russell secured his third championship top-three finish, by bringing his TekworkX Motorsport car home third overall.

In Pro-Am, Matt Belford did all he could do in a bid to wrestle the title away from Jane, but ultimately had to second in the standings and in the round overall – despite claiming a strong race three victory.

Jane’s safe second on Sunday ensured he claimed the title while Stephen Grove competed the podium.

The Victorian’s Monster Wheels / Bob Jane T-Marts car had a remarkably consistent season that included only two race wins, but three round wins (Sydney, Albert Park and Adelaide) and podium finishes in each of the eight championship rounds.

It delivered Sonic their sixth Carrera Cup title – three in each class – among their rich racing history.

Belford finished second overall while Matt Slavin, who missed the final race following damage sustained in his race two impact with the wall at turn 13, secured third.

Sunday’s race ran incident free across it’s 20-minute duration to conclude another competitive year of Australia’s top one-make category.

Carrera Cup returns with the opening round of a seven-event 2026 schedule at the Formula One Australian Grand Prix in March.

Glen Wood claims surprise Adelaide win as title fight becomes clearer

O'Keeffe, Jane lead the way heading into Sunday title decider in Adelaide

GLEN WOOD has claimed his maiden Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia race win in yet another dramatic and shortened race on the streets of Adelaide. 

Meanwhile, the championship picture has become clearer in both Equity-One Pro and Acronis Pro-Am as Dylan O’Keeffe and Rodney Jane take much healthier leads into Sunday’s 2025 finale’ than the ones they started Saturday with.

Wood’s pathway to his first Carrera Cup win, and top three finish, came via a fiery lap-one battle between Bayley Hall and Harri Jones that ended in tears for both.

The pair went side by side through the Senna Chicane and turn four before battling in the braking zone uphill at turn five.

Hall, on the inside, ran deep into the corner with Jones – on the outside – having nowhere to go as the pair both ran up the escape road and tumbled out of the lead.

That the lifted Wood, who started on the second row, to the lead of the race and Aaron Love to second.

The drama didn’t end there, however, as Hall and Matt Slavin made contact at turn eleven later on the opening lap.

That contact broke Slavin’s steering and saw him exit the circuit at high speed on the run around to pit entry; slamming into the tyre bundles and ending up stuck beneath the tyres. Slavin emerged from the car unscathed.

The damage to the circuit was significant, however, and the race was ultimately suspended with the clock close to zero.

As a result, the result was classified as a full race with Glen Wood claiming the victory over Aaron Love and Angelo Mouzouris.

The largest beneficiary from the turn five drama was championship leader Dylan O’Keeffe, who emerged unscathed from the combat and ultimately finished fourth.

With Jones only able to recover to 14th on the road – and score points for 12th in Equity-One Pro – the championship margin provisionally stands at 55 points with one race remaining and 60 points up for grabs.

In Acronis Pro-Am, Rodney Jane claimed a clutch victory to extend his series lead over Matt Belford with one race to go.

Standing at five points coming into the race, the margin now stands at 22 heading towards Sunday’s Finale.

The final race of the Carrera Cup season is set for 1:15pm local time on Sunday afternoon with coverage live on Fox Sports, Kayo, Sky NZ and Channel 7.

Tyre gamble pays off for home-town hero Vidau

Rain creates chaos in Adelaide opener as local hero claims special win

MAX VIDAU has claimed a remarkable home-town win thanks to a wet-weather tyre gamble that saw him in the right place at the right time to capitalise on a wet weather Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Enduro in Adelaide.

He led home David Russell and Clay Osborne in a dramatic, wet affair that saw the race ultimately suspended and then stopped altogether following multiple cars crashing at the infamous Turn 8 mid-race.

The race was declared before the 75% required to constitute a full race, meaning half points were awarded.

Vidau’s path to his fourth career Carrera Cup win came in dramatic circumstances and relied on a gamble and possibly some local, home-town knowledge to perfectly time a switch to wet weather tyres.

With rain forecast but not falling at the time cars left the formation area, Vidau’s and his small family-run team opted to gamble for wet weather tyres on the basis that rain was likely.

When that rain fell as the cars drove to the grid, several other teams took to pit lane to fit wets while half the field gambled on a race start on slicks – one that would ultimately not pay off.

Officially starting 12th, Vidau’s decision to start on wets paid off as he charged through the field on the first lap.

The field was jumbled as several cars started from the lane before Dean Cook and Rodney Jane both spun at turn one, bringing out the Safety Car.

That allowed the remainder of the grid to fit wets and the race to eventually resume – with key contenders including polesitter Robert de Haan – right at the back of the field.

As the rain poured down Vidau led David Russell and Clay Osborne while Acronis Pro-Am leader Matt Belford found himself fifth outright and among the Pros on the restart thanks to the varying strategies playing out.

While he was shuffled backwards, Equity-One Pro contenders Dylan O’Keeffe and Harri Jones had a change of their respective fortunes from earlier in the day: Jones shuffled back down the field from his front-row start, while O’Keeffe’s early stop saw him climb up the order and well into the top 10.

The wet conditions were negotiated well right to the point where Lockie Bloxsom clipped the turn eight wall, which set of a series of events that unfortunately included Bayley Hall, Macro Giltrap and Robert de Haan.

That saw the Safety Car return to the circuit before the race was ultimately suspended – with the wall damage and clean-up required ultimately proving too much to repair prior to the race’s window ending.

As such the race was declared as the field sat with Vidau claiming his first win since July 2023 and the first for his part-time, family run team based in the Adelaide hills.

David Russell’s second position helped him edge away from Bayley Hall in their battle for third in the championship while Clay Osborne’s third represented the Porsche Michelin Junior’s best race result yet.

Dylan O’Keeffe splashed his way to an important fifth position which, coupled with Jones finishing seventh (sixth of those eligible to score points), provisionally extended his Equity-One Pro championship lead from 23 to 25 points with two races remaining and 120 points still up for grabs.

In Acronis Pro-Am, Rodney Jane provisionally holds a four point lead on corrected scores.

Today’s result also provisionally secured several key championship titles for season 2025.

Harri Jones claimed the Equity-One Pro Endurance Cup, while Matt Belford locked in the Acronis Pro-Am class Enduro Cup title.

Jones and Belford also claimed the TAG Heuer Pole Awards for the season while Garth Walden Racing have now provisionally claimed the prestigious Carrera Cup teams championship for the first time.

Action continues tomorrow with race two set for 1:20pm local time with live coverage on Fox Sports, Kayo, Sky NZ and Channel 7.

Brothers Wood top intense Thursday practice in Adelaide

Practice day points to tight weekend ahead as mainstays, newcomers and title contenders all quick in Adelaide

FOR all the championship permutations and wildcard ring-ins, it was a pair of brothers who topped the charts in practice for Adelaide’s final round of the 2025 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

A late series of flyers in the second of two, 25-minute practice sessions saw Dale Wood eclipse brother Glen by 0.003 seconds to put the pair of Earl Bamber Motorsport-run Porsche’s 1-2 in Equity-One pro class at the end of an extremely competitive day of practice on the Adelaide streets.

The afternoon session was the quickest of the pair, though the elder of the Wood boys topped both sessions today.

Wood has claimed the past two Adelaide wins and is searching for a rare Carrera Cup round hattrick this weekend – as well as his first win of the year.

Gold Coast polesitter Marcos Flack was third aboard his spectacularly liveried Sonic Motor Racing entry, which this weekend is sporting a new paint scheme drawn by kids from the Starlight Children’s Foundation at the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s hospital.

Comeback kid Aaron Love was fourth but a factor immediately on his Carrera Cup return, quickly comfortable aboard his McElrea Racing-prepped entry.

Love is filling in for Caleb Sumich this weekend and was seventh in the first session before improving in the second.

Championship leader Dylan O’Keeffe was fifth – four spots ahead of title rival Harri Jones – while Robert de Haan’s Australian debut was predictably impressive: sixth in both practice sessions and only 0.29s away from the fastest time in the second session.

David Russell was next, with Bayley Hall – who was second in the opening practice session – Jones and Marco Giltrap completing the top-10.

Thursday’s running was highlighted by two clean but incredibly close sessions with a stack of contenders making themselves ready for the weekend.

Home-town heroes Max Vidau and Tom Taplin finished 14th and 18th, respectively today.

In the Acronis Pro-Am class, Matt Slavin positioned himself ahead of the title contenders in practice, with Matt Belford, who sits second in the class, next and points leader Rodney Jane in third.

All on the line in Adelaide Carrera Cup title decider

Wildcard elements added to intense Pro, Pro-Am Porsche title battles

THERE will be everything to play for when the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia races to its conclusion at the Adelaide Grand Final this weekend in South Australia.

The Equity-One Pro, Acronis Pro-Am and even the Teams Championship will all be up for grabs this weekend as a power-packed 24-strong grid descends on the famous Adelaide Parklands Circuit for the 17th time in championship history.

Dylan O’Keeffe and Harri Jones will battle for the Pro class while in Pro-Am it will be Rodney Jane and Matt Belford fighting for the top spot – with all results on the table.

Before claiming their respective titles, the winners will need to work their way through a remarkably deep Adelaide field that includes several cameo performers looking to make their mark.

As well as current Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland champion and Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup runner-up Robert de Haan, who will race with EMA Motorsport, current Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge champion Jake Santalucia will make his Carrera Cup Australia debut this weekend driving a fourth car from Sonic Motor Racing.

Wall Racing will field Carrera Cup Asia driver Li Xuanyu to add further international flair.

Meanwhile, making a cameo comeback will be Aaron Love – who steps into the car Caleb Sumich has raced this year at McElrea Racing. With Sumich overseas and competing in Carrera Cup Middle East, Love’s fill-in role adds even more spice with the young West Aussie having made his mark as one of the quickest ever in the category.

Love finished runner-up to eventual champion Harri Jones in the 2022 championship despite missing a round due to international racing commitments. He won 11 times in his Carrera Cup career, his return adding yet another wildcard element into the mix.

The title battles will be the overarching focus of the weekend with both Pro and Pro-Am delicately poised heading into the final three races of the season.

O’Keeffe (GWR / RAM Motorsport) leads Harri Jones (Jones Motorsport) by just 24 points with 181 up for grabs in Adelaide meaning any result is still possible.

Jones has claimed 9 race wins to O’Keeffe’s three this year however the latter has built his lead on relentless consistency: He’s finished inside the top three in 13 of the 20 races to have counted so far. Regardless of the winner, the 2025 title will go to a team that has yet to claim the outright championship.

Meanwhile, the fight for third will also go down to the wire with Bayley Hall (EMA Motorsport) trailing third-placed David Russell (TekworkX) by just nine points.

In the Acronis Pro-Am ranks, Rodney Jane (Sonic) and Matt Belford (GWR) will fight for a title even closer than the Equity-One Pro fight with Jane – who has led all season – leading Belford, who has claimed the two most recent rounds – by just seven points. However, each Pro-Am contender will only count seven of their best eight rounds meaning even a bad weekend in Adelaide could still deliver title success for either driver.

Jane is already a two-time Pro-Am champion, taking the title in 2006 and 2007, while Belford only made his debut in the category in 2022.

Adelaide has been a staple of the annual Carrera Cup season for all bar four of the years the category has raced in Australia.

Dale Wood has claimed the two most recent rounds in Adelaide and will look to join Craig Baird as the only driver to win three consecutive rounds at the circuit.

Bayley Hall (1m20.1441s) holds the Adelaide race lap record while Dale Wood’s 2024 pole lap of 1m19.8326s stands as the qualifying lap record.

Following two practice sessions on Thursday, qualifying will be held early on Friday morning before the first race on Friday afternoon – that race also to decide the Pro and Pro-Am Endurance Cup title battles for the season.

Further sprint races on Saturday and Sunday will then decide the championship and the Adelaide round win.

Practice 2, qualifying and all three races will be shown live on Fox Sports, Kayo Sports and Sky NZ this weekend while Races 2 and 3 will also be shown live on the Seven Network.

Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship – Round 8
BP Adelaide Grand Final – ENTRY LIST

Acronis and TechSpecialist partner with Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia

Global leader in cybersecurity and data protection joins forces for upcoming Adelaide Grand Final.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship is proud to partner with Acronis, a global leader in cybersecurity and data protection, for the upcoming Adelaide Grand Final.

Acronis have linked with TechSpecialist in their latest of a series of #TeamUp partnerships for the Adelaide event as an Official partner of the category and the Title Partner of the ultra-competitive Pro-Am category.

Acronis will feature branding on the side mirrors and on-board locations of all Pro-Am competitors, while TechSpecialist will feature branding on all front bumpers, windscreens and on-board locations with all Pro-Am competitors. Acronis and TechSpecialist will enjoy unique VIP experiences and behind the scenes experiences, networking with Porsche and PCCA Series partners, along with attendance at the end of season Gala Dinner on Sunday night.

The partnership between Acronis, TechSpecialist and Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia continues Acronis #TeamUp collaborations in sport which in Australia includes a partnership with A-League side, Sydney FC. Global partnerships with major sporting franchise including the Washington Nationals, Atlanta Falcons, and Brentford FC.

The Pro-Am category is a highly competitive ‘race within a race’ within the broader Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship, where high profile and extremely competitive racers go head-to-head.

The Adelaide event will see a title showdown between leader and former class champion Rodney Jane and Matt Belford for the Acronis Pro-Am class championship, with on-track action commencing on Thursday, 27 November.

Craig Nayda – Senior Motorsport Manager, Porsche Cars Australia

“We are proud to welcome Acronis and TechSpecialist to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship for the Adelaide Grand Final. Porsche and Acronis are two global brands that are leaders in their respective fields in extremely high performance and demanding industries.

“We’re excited to work with them in Adelaide and, in conjunction with TechSpecialist, introduce them to everything that the championship has to offer. Adelaide is a particularly excellent weekend to join in given the championship showdown in the Acronis Pro-Am class and the massive interest in what is going to be one of the largest motorsport events of the year.”

Dushern Pathe – CEO, TechSpecialist

“TechSpecialist is delighted to join forces with Acronis and the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship for the Adelaide Grand Final. Our strategic partnership with Acronis reflects our shared commitment to innovation, resilience, and high performance across IT Solutions and Services —values that are at the heart of both motorsport and modern business.

“As an official partner, we look forward to connecting with Porsche and series partners, experiencing the energy of the paddock, and celebrating the competitive spirit that drives the Pro-Am category. The championship showdown in Adelaide is the perfect stage to showcase what our collaboration with Acronis can achieve.

“We’re excited to bring our expertise and strategic vision to this iconic event, and to demonstrate how our partnership with Acronis empowers teams and businesses to perform at their best.”

About TechSpecialist:

TechSpecialist is an ISO27001:2022 certified IT company that has been delivering exceptional services, solutions, consulting, and support to businesses in Australia, the Asia Pacific region, and globally for over twenty years. As a Managed Services provider, we place a strong emphasis on Engineering and Infrastructure management, and we have built a solid reputation for offering expert advice, providing top-quality solutions.

At TechSpecialist, we offer a broad range of IT services and products designed to meet the diverse needs of our clients. These services include Servicedesk / Helpdesk Support, IT Support, Public Cloud Services, Microsoft 365, Virtualisation, Data Networks, Voice & Cloud Contact Centre, 24×7 Remote Monitoring, and Cyber Security an GRC Services. Our experienced team is dedicated to ensuring that your business runs smoothly and efficiently, allowing you to focus on your core operations.

About Acronis:

Acronis is a global cyber protection company that provides natively integrated cybersecurity, data protection, and endpoint management for managed service providers (MSPs), small and medium businesses (SMBs), and enterprise IT departments. Acronis solutions are highly efficient and designed to identify, prevent, detect, respond, remediate, and recover from modern cyberthreats with minimal downtime, ensuring data integrity and business continuity. Acronis offers the most comprehensive security solution on the market for MSPs with its unique ability to meet the needs of diverse and distributed IT environments.

A Swiss company founded in Singapore in 2003, Acronis has 15 offices worldwide and employees in 50+ countries. Acronis Cyber Protect is available in 26 languages in 150 countries and is used by over 21,000 service providers to protect over 750,000 businesses. Learn more at www.acronis.com.

Jake Santalucia set for Carrera Cup debut in Adelaide

Sprint Challenge Champion to join Carrera Cup field in Adelaide

Newly-crowned Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge champion Jake Santalucia will make an early step up to the Paynter Dixon Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship in Adelaide this week.

The 18-year-old Victorian will race the current model 992 Cup Car at the famed Adelaide street circuit in what will be both his Carrera Cup debut and his first race on the Adelaide streets.

Having completed his maiden test in the 992 at Winton earlier in the week, Santalucia will drive a fourth Team Sonic Porsche in Adelaide.

“Even before I started karting, it’s been a goal of mine to race in Carrera Cup,” said Santalucia.

“I remember watching the morning support classes at Bathurst on TV and I always looked out for the yellow Bob Jane T-Marts Porsches. So it’s pretty cool that I’ll be able to tick this box with Sonic in Adelaide.

“I’ve never driven on the Adelaide circuit before. I’ve raced on the streets of Townsville, and I realise it’s not the same, but at least having the experience of Townsville in the last two seasons puts me in good stead.

“I did my first test at Winton this week and I got up to speed pretty quickly. The cars aren’t that much different and I felt comfortable.

“We’ve moved on pretty quickly from winning the title. I would have liked to celebrate it a bit more, but I also want to keep on track and improve myself. We might have a nice party after Adelaide.”

Santalucia’s debut in the top Porsche category will see him follow the likes of fellow Sonic drivers Jordan Love, Aaron Love and Marcos Flack who have graduated from the second-tier Porsche category into Carrera Cup.

Santalucia secured Sonic’s sixth Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge at Sandown, and in doing so, became the second youngest in the category’s history to claim the crown – beaten by just seven days by Jordan Love.

The addition of Santalucia to the Adelaide Carrera Cup field means that Sonic will field four cars in the season finale, joining regular team drivers Angelo Mouzouris, Marcos Flack and Pro-Am title leader Rodney Jane.

Track action kicks off in Adelaide this Thursday (November 26), with one race scheduled on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

German champion Robert de Haan joins Adelaide grid with EMA

Teenage ace from Germany was runner-up in Supercup this year

EMA Motorsport will double down for the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia final at the Adelaide Grand Final, as Dutch teenage ace Robert de Haan joins the team.

Recently crowned Carrera Cup Deutschland champion and 2025 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup runner-up Robert will make a debut start in Australia, joining season regular Bayley Hall for the season finale weekend.

Robert has shown his skills and abilities at the wheel of the Porsche 992 GT3 Cup over the past three seasons, competing across Europe and the Middle East in Carrera Cup, and making his Supercup debut in 2023.

The 19-year-old from Zutphen in the Netherlands delivered an impressive debut season, claiming the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux title and an outright podium in his debut Supercup campaign. This form continued last season as he took the Rookie Champion title in Porsche Supercup, while also finishing as runner up rookie in the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland championship.

The latest campaign has seen Robert return to Germany, taking the overall title in the Carrera Cup Deutschland standings. Bookending the season with a clean sweep of victories over the opening and closing race weekends, he took a total of six wins and five further podiums on his way to the championship.

He also scored his first Supercup victory, adding his name as a race winner around the streets of Monaco, while taking three further podiums to finish P2 overall in the season standings.

Robert will run alongside EMA Motorsport’s season regular driver, 22-year-old Bayley Hall. With one race weekend to go, he sits P4 in the overall Equity-One Pro standings, and P2 in the Endurance Cup table.

Robert de Haan, Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup #90:

“I am really looking forward to the weekend, and racing on the streets of Adelaide. It’s an amazing track, steeped in history, and a great place to make my Australian race debut. A big thank you to the whole team at EMA Motorsport for the invitation to be a part of this weekend. I will be giving everything to fight for that top step of the podium, and the aim is for us to score the maximum points possible across the weekend. I cannot wait to get going.

Marcus Cole, EMA Motorsport Team Manger:

“It is great to welcome Robert to the team for the season finale in Adeliade this weekend. He has proven himself as a true talent at the wheel of a Cup car over the past few seasons, so it will be great to have him running as a strong teammate alongside Bayley, and see how he shapes up against the local talent.

“It has been a big week for Bayley, taking part in the Porsche Junior Shootout, and I think having
someone of Robert’s talent alongside him will be a real push for Bayley as he looks to round out a strong season. We are looking forward to seeing how the pair work together, and hopefully we can be fighting at the sharp end of the field across the weekend.”

Chinese driver Li Xuanyu to join Adelaide grid with Wall Racing

Champion team returns with international driver for Adelaide finale

WALL RACING will make a return to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship in Adelaide and do so with some international flair.

The team has confirmed Chinese Porsche GT driver Li Xuanyu to steer the #321 Wall Racing / Z Speed Motorsport entry on the streets of the South Australian capital in the final round of the 2025 championship.

The 28 year old has built a strong CV in Asia-pacific competition and finished runner-up in the 2023 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia AM class, with ZSpeed Motorsport.

His recent racing has been in GT World Challenge Asia, where a six-event 2025 campaign included a third place finish in the opening round of the championship in Malaysia.

He also raced in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia this year with a season that included a race win at Motegi earlier this year.

“We’re excited to welcome Li to the team for Adelaide,” said Wall Racing Team Owner and 2017 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Champion, David Wall.

“We have sat and watched on the side lines this year after a deal to run a car full-time fell over late in the piece, so to be back in the paddock is going to be great.

“One of the highlights of my time in Carrera Cup was going to Asia to race and then going head to head with them down here as well.

“He has a broad level of experience in top GT machinery with Absolute Racing and EBM in recent years and his experience in Carrera Cup is definitely an advantage.

“Adelaide is one of the most challenging events on the calendar but we’re looking forward to working with him across the weekend and make sure he enjoys the experience at one of the best motorsport events around.

“It’s great to have Wall Racing back in the Carrera Cup paddock as we work towards a full campaign in 2026.”

Round 8 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship commences on Thursday, 27 November at the Adelaide street circuit.

Qualifying and all three races will be shown live on Fox Sports, Kayo and Sky NZ with key coverage also on the Seven Network throughout the weekend.

2026 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia schedule confirmed

Carrera Cup to compete at Australia's largest motorsport events again in 2026

PORSCHE Motorsport Australia has confirmed calendars for both the 2026 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship and 2026 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series.

One-make Porsche action will feature at 9 Repco Supercars Championship events and four Shannons SpeedSeries events across a bumper 2026 season that stretches from March to December.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia will contest a seven-round championship, commencing at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in March.

From there, the championship returns to the Betr Darwin Triple Crown at Hidden Valley, the Supercars Ipswich Super440 and the AirTouch 500 at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia.

The massive run-home to the championship decider then features three of the largest events in the sport; the Repco Bathurst 1000, Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, and Adelaide Grand Final.

The reduction by one in the number of events is not without precedent – the championship was contested across seven events in 2011 and 2013 – and is designed to assist teams managing both budgets and logistics across the season.

Race format changes will see four of the seven rounds (Darwin, Queensland Raceway, The Bend and Gold Coast) adopt the international Carrera cup format of two, 45-minute races. The remaining three events will feature three, 30-minute sprints as per the 2025 season format.

2026 marks the final year of competition for the current, Type 992 GT3 Cup Car before the second generation 992.2 GT3 Cup arrives in Australia for the following season.

The ever-popular Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia will see calendar continuity, with an ongoing balance between Shannons SpeedSeries and Repco Supercars events.

Commencing at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit, Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge will also race at The Bend, Queensland Raceway and Sydney Motorsport Park with the SpeedSeries.

A third year at the Reid Park street circuit and the NTI Townsville 500 will allow the field street circuit experience, while the finale’ will once again be held with the Supercars Sandown 500 in November.

Further details surrounding the calendar will be announced in due course, with several exciting initiatives planed to further grow both Carrera Cup and Sprint Challenge into 2026 and beyond.

Craig Nayda – Senior Motorsport Manager, Porsche Cars Australia

“The 2026 calendar is the result of significant consultation with our teams, stakeholders, event promoters and is designed to give the best possible balance in pacing the events throughout the year while delivering great experiences to our competitor group.

“A shift to seven rounds for Carrera Cup focusses the championship on some of the most popular and largest motorsport events in the country and will ensure the final year of the current generation 992 GT3 Cup Car is as strong as possible.

“Our partnerships with the SpeedSeries and Supercars are extremely productive, and we’ve got a great working relationship with both to ensure that both Carrera Cup and Sprint Challenge remain in premium positions on both calendars.

“We’re excited about the 13 events on our 2026 calendar and another big year of one-make Porsche racing in Australia.”

2026 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia

1. Shannons SpeedSeries Phillip Island, VIC – March 27-19
2. Shannons SpeedSeries Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, SA – May 8-10
3. Shannons SpeedSeries Queensland Raceway, QLD – June 12-14
4. NTI Townsville 500 Townsville, QLD – July 10-12
5. Shannons SpeedSeries Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW – September 18-20
6. Sandown 500 Sandown Raceway, VIC – November 13-15

2026 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship

1. Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix Melbourne, VIC – March 5-8
2. Betr Darwin Triple Crown Hidden Valley, NT – June 19-21
3. Ipswich Super440 Queensland Raceway, QLD – August 21-23
4. AirTouch 500 Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, SA – September 11-13
5. Repco Bathurst 1000 Bathurst, NSW – October 8-11
6. Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 Surfers Paradise, QLD – October 23-25
7. BP Adelaide Grand Final Adelaide, SA – December 3-6

Caleb Sumich Joins Lechner Racing for Full 2025/26 Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East Season

International chance beckons for West Aussie ace this Summer

Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia driver Caleb Sumich has been officially confirmed to contest the 2025/26 Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East Championship with Lechner Racing, driving the iconic DHL-liveried Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car for the full season.

Following a string of impressive performances as a guest driver in the 2024/25 championship — including standout results in Dubai, podiums in Yas Marina and Bahrain and a clean sweep of race wins in Jeddah — Sumich has earned the confidence of the multiple championship-winning Lechner Racing outfit.

His promotion to a full-time seat comes with the backing of DHL, who will support his campaign throughout the season.

“I’m incredibly excited to be joining Lechner Racing for a full season in Carrera Cup Middle East,” said Sumich.

“The team has an amazing record in this championship, and to drive the DHL car is a huge honour. The experience I gained from the rounds last season was invaluable, and I can’t wait to build on that and fight up front.”

Lechner Racing Team Principal Robert Lechner welcomed the young driver to the team’s 2025/26 roster:

“Caleb showed real pace and maturity during his outings with us last season. His work ethic and race craft impressed everyone at Lechner Racing. We’re delighted to have him in the DHL car for the full campaign and look forward to seeing him continue his development.”

The opening round of the 2025/26 Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East season takes place this weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit, running as a support category to the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

With strong momentum and factory-level backing behind him, Sumich is set to make a significant impact in one of the most competitive one-make championships in the region.

Hall claims third straight Surfers win as title battle builds

Winner-take-all finale in store as Pro, Pro-Am title battles set for dramatic deciders

BAYLEY HALL created some Gold Coast history in claiming his third consecutive round win on the streets of Surfers Paradise, while an almighty title battle is brewing for this year’s Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia championship.

Hall claimed both races in Round 7 to extend his Surfers streak to seven straight race wins and three round wins in a row, dating back to 2023.

Meanwhile, the title battle in the Equity One Professional class has become a winner-take-all finale’ with Dylan O’Keeffe holding a substantially reduced 24-point championship lead over Harri Jones into the Adelaide Grand Final following a challenging Gold Coast weekend.

David Russell and Bayley Hall also remain in contention with the top four split by 148 points – with 181 up for grabs in Adelaide.

In the Pro-Am battle the fight is even closer with Rodney Jane clinging on to a narrow seven-point lead over Matt Belford on non-corrected scores heading into the finale: Belford winning his second straight round to create another title decider in Carrera Cup’s race within a race.

Hall’s weekend was anchored by staring on pole for the Enduro Cup race on Sunday morning, which he won comfortably from pole.

He then did the same in the third race on Sunday afternoon after spending the early laps fending off challenges from Marcos Flack’s Sonic Motor Racing Services entry.

The result is Hall’s first round win since the Gold Coast last year, the third of his career and team EMA Motorsport’s first since Bathurst in 2023.

In finishing second in both Sunday races, Marcos Flack powered to second overall on Sunday in his best all-round Carrera Cup weekend yet and came a day after securing his maiden Pole Position in the championship on Saturday.

David Russell finished third overall to score his 21^st career podium and back up his emphatic Bathurst round win two weeks ago.

Russell spent much of his race in a feisty battle pack for third through seventh position and only grabbed a top three spot following an arm-wrestle with Angelo Mouzouris and teammate Marcus Amand that lasted much of the race.

Fourth earlier in the day, Russell ensured he retained third position overall in the Championship heading into the Adelaide finale; though only nine points behind Queensland winner Hall.

There were contrasting fortunes for the two outright title contenders as Harri Jones rebounded from his recent tough run to reclaim a host of championship points on leader Dylan O’Keeffe.

Starting 18^th in race two, Jones charged forward through the pack and ended the Enduro Cup race in seventh position, before finishing sixth in the finale’ to bag a solid haul of points.

Importantly for the defending champion, it was a significant amount more than leader O’Keeffe who had a challenging day on the Gold Coast.

Running in the back of the top-10 in race one, O’Keeffe and Dale Wood made contact at turn one that broke the steering on O’Keeffe’s GWR / RAM Motorsport entry. The team rushed to fix the steering and returned O’Keeffe back to the circuit, however he was one lap short of completing the required 75% of the race to be considered a contender: therefore scoring zero points.

O’Keeffe then battled from the back of the field to the back of the top-10 in race three to salvage valuable points, but see more than 40 removed from his championship lead coming into the weekend.

The margin provisionally sits at 24 going into the winner-take-all Adelaide finale.

In Pro-Am Matt Belford’s imperious run of late now stretches to six of the last eight race wins.

Belford’s car was one of several remarkably repaired overnight following the hefty crash on Saturday afternoon and the Victorian delivered by racing hard on Sunday – especially during an exciting battle with Stephen Grove for the Pro-Am lead in the Enduro Cup race on Sunday morning.

Grove enjoyed his best weekend yet since his Carrera Cup return in finishing second in the Pro-Am class while Rodney Jane ensured he retained – however small – a championship lead going into Adelaide’s Grand Final.

A notable Pro-Am performance also came from Jacque Jarjo, who finished third in class in race three having earlier failed to finish the enduro cup race due to radiator damage.

The final round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will be held at the Adelaide Grand Final event in November, on the Adelaide Parklands Circuit.

Race one declared a non-event after Gold Coast bites

Turn three crash ends opening race after just one racing lap

RACE 1 of the penultimate round of the 2026 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia championship has been declared a ‘non-event’ following a significant crash at the start of the second racing lap today on the Gold Coast.

Nine cars were involved in the accident exiting turn three: Lockie Bloxsom, Caleb Sumich, Hamish Fitzsimmons, Oscar Targett, Brett Boulton, Matt Slavin, Matt Belford and Dean Cook were all involved.

Eight drivers were checked at the circuit medical centre and cleared of any injury while Bloxsom was taken to a local hospital for precautionary checks.

Teams are already well underway in assessing the damage ahead of race two, scheduled for 8:10am local time tomorrow morning. Several cars are expected to return to the circuit tomorrow, pending repairs.

It’s just the eighth time in 466 Championship races that a result has not been declared due to the leader not completing a second racing lap.

As a result, no championship points other than those scored in qualifying, will be awarded.

Earlier in the day, Sonic Motor Racing celebrated an emotional front-row lock out in qualifying as the team commemorates the life of motorsport great, Garry Rogers.

Rogers was the uncle of Sonic chief Michael Ritter and the team is celebrating his life this weekend.

It was Sonic’s first Carrera Cup pole since 2022 and the first for teenager Marcos Flack in his Carrera Cup career.

Russell tops fastest ever Gold Coast Friday

Bathurst winner continues strong form in tight Friday practice sessions on the Gold Coast streets

DAVID RUSSELL has picked up where he left off in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship, the Bathurst round winner topping Friday on the Gold Coast. 

Russell rushed to the top in the second of two, 25-minute practice sessions on Friday to end the day quickest by 0.02 seconds over Marcos Flack and defending Gold Coast winner, Bayley Hall.

His flying 1m11.0710s lap was the quickest ever by a Porsche GT3 Cup Car on the Surfers streets with more to come in qualifying tomorrow.

Russell edged out Flack by a tiny margin in what was a strong day for the Sonic Motor Racing team: his teammate Angelo Mouzouris second in the opening session earlier in the day.

Bayley Hall ended the day third as he looks to claim a third-straight Gold Coast round – something never done before on the demanding street circuit.

With Dale Wood fourth, Marcos Amand ended the day in fifth place – creeping up on outright pace after feeling his way through his first street circuit experience earlier in the opening session.

On combined practice times, Harri Jones was fifth outright on the basis of his practice one lap time that set the tone earlier in the day, with his nearest FP1 rivals Mouzouris and Dylan O’Keeffe in close company on the combined times at the end of the day.

Also featuring in the top-10 in the quicker, second practice session were Caleb Sumich, Clay Osborne, Glen Wood and Macro Giltrap, while after finishing third outright in the first session, O’Keeffe could only manage 13th in the second.

Matt Slavin topped the Pro-Am ranks in both sessions on Friday as the ARES / ASM driver looks to continue to eat away at the points margin held by leader Rodney Jane and closest pursuer, Matt Belford.

Slavin’s 1m12.92 best in the second session put him 15th outright and ahead of both Belford and Jane – who finished the session in reverse championship order.

As always the Gold Coast was its usual brutal self in the pair of sessions with not everyone coming through unscathed.

Oscar Targett was forced to sit out the opening session following an early brush with the wall, while after a strong opening session, Ange Mouzouris was forced out of practice two with damage to his right front corner following contact at turn one.

Teammate Rodney Jane was another to find drama in that session as he scraped the exit wall at turn two. Several cars, including Bayley Hall, scraped mirrors along walls throughout the combative 25-minute outing.

With the opening day complete, attention now turns to the battle for the TAG Heuer Pole Award on Saturday morning which will set the tone for the three races this weekend.

That session will be held at 0925am, prior to race one commencing at 1:55pm.

Qualifying and the race will be shown live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo, with the race also broadcast live on the screens of Seven.

Crucial Surfers fight to set championship tone for Carrera Cup showdown

Equity-One Pro, Pro-Am fights on the line as championship returns to Surfers Paradise

THE Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship returns to the streets of Surfers Paradise this week for perhaps it’s most consequential trip to Queensland’s Gold Coast in years.

Save for the seasons where the Surfers Paradise event served as the championship finale, the 2025 visit may prove to be one of the most important in years given the pulsating battle for both the Equity-One Pro and the Pro-Am championships unfolding this year, setting the tone for Adelaide’s championship showdown in late November.

It comes at a venue famous for its unpredictability and offering the finest line between success and the unforgiving concrete barriers that line its 3.2km.

Perhaps the driver most fired up to tackle the Surfers streets this weekend is home-town hero Bayley Hall, who has dominated the two most recent visits to the circuit he grew up at.

He won two of the three races to claim his maiden Carrera Cup round victory in 2023 before backing that up to claim pole and three wins to take the weekend again last year.

Recently named the Porsche Michelin Junior champion for 2025, Hall has added motivation for success having lost third place in the Pro class championship to Bathurst winner David Russell last time out.

Russell was runner-up to Hall last year offering the prospect of the two form drivers at the circuit – and two of the quickest in the championship – going head-to-head once again.

Rolled into that mix will be the battle for the outright lead between Dylan O’Keeffe and Harri Jones, who are engaged in one of the most unpredictable title battles in Carrera Cup’s 21-year history in Australia this year.

Jones led the title following round one, before O’Keeffe grabbed it for the first time in Darwin the next round.

Domination across Queensland Raceway and The Bend saw Jones reclaim top spot before a borderline disastrous weekend on the Mountain, coupled with O’Keeffe’s podium finish, returned the lead back to the GWR / RAM Motorsport driver.

The margin stands at 69 points with 181 up for grabs on the Gold Coast and the same in Adelaide’s season finale, meaning any result remains on the table.

Jones does, however, remain in control of the Equity-One Pro class Enduro Cup standings: holding a 10-point lead over O’Keeffe in the championship scored across the series’ longer, 45-minute races.

In Pro-Am, things are even tighter with Rodney Jane having watch his championship lead whittled down to just 37 points by the flying Matt Belford, who has claimed six wins in his last 12 races.

That margin becomes even closer when the Pro-Am category’s ability to drop their worst round of the year is considered; and brings third-placed Matt Slavin into the mix as well with all three covered by less than the value of one race win on corrected scores.

Belford also leads the Enduro Cup standings with two longer-distance races remaining this year.

The Gold Coast field is comprised of 24 cars, 16 in Equity-One Pro and 8 in the Pro-Am class.

Returning to the grid this weekend will be the DNA Autosport prepared entry of Sydneysider Jacque Jarjo – who burst onto the Carrera Cup landscape in the opening round this year by claiming a Pro-Am class win on his racing debut.

Dean Cook also returns to the GWR Australia / RAM Motorsport Dexion squad fresh from a Carrera Cup Asia Singapore podium finish.

Absent from the Gold Coast event will be Sam Shahin – who’s car was too badly damaged in his Bathurst accident to be ready in time for the round – and Scott Taylor, who has elected to remain on the sidelines while recovering from an accident in another category at Mount Panorama.

Action commences on Friday at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 with a pair of practice sessions, prior to qualifying and the opening race on Saturday.

Sunday morning will see the Enduro cup race wake the Coast in style before the final race later that afternoon.

All sessions from Practice two on will be shown on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports, while Races 1 and 3 will also be shown live on the Seven Network.

ENTRY LIST – Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia, Round 6

Bayley Hall to represent Australia in Porsche Junior Shootout

Queenslander joins long list of talent to represent Australia on the global stage

ON the eve of his home event, Queenslander Bayley Hall has been confirmed as Porsche Motorsport Australia’s nomination to take on the best young drivers in the world in the 2025 Porsche Junior Shootout.

Hall comfortably leads the Porsche Michelin Junior Championship following six of eight rounds of this year’s Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

However, nominations were based not just on on-track performance: rather, a broad spectrum of attributes required to make a complete racing car driver were included within the Michelin Junior process this year – a process that commenced with an intensive three-day training camp on the Gold Coast earlier this year.

As such, Hall was nominated as Porsche Australia’s candidate by a selection panel comprised of Porsche Motorsport category management, plus industry experts in the fields of physical and mental fitness at Focus Driver Performance and feedback on performances in the media and beyond.

Bayley follows in the footsteps of a host of talented young drivers who have tackled the Porsche Junior Shootout from Australia including Matt Campbell, Jaxon Evans, Andre Heimgartner, Nick Foster, Jordan Love, Cameron Hill and Dylan O’Keeffe.

The Shootout winner receives a significant scholarship prize to assist them competing in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Championship the following season – a pathway used by many rising stars in the past to a professional driving career in GT and Sports Car racing and beyond.

Hailing from Surfers Paradise, Hall long dreamed of racing professionally and started his career as a 15-year-old racing at a state level at Queensland Raceway.

With limited prior experience Hall’s Porsche debut came in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series as a teenager in 2021, prior to moving to Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia the following year.

Then driving for McElrea Racing, Hall claimed his first race wins on the streets of Surfers Paradise in 2023, winning four times in 2024 on his way to fifth in the championship, scoring his first pole position along the way.

His 2025 season with EMA Motorsport has been a model of consistency that has him sitting fourth outright in the championship with two rounds remaining.

Hall has also gathered international experience across his journey, with several starts in Porsche Carrera Cup Italy and Porsche Carrera Cup Asia helping to broaden his global Porsche racing experiences.

Hall has been vocal about using his Porsche experience to potentially chase an international career in GT racing or Sports Car competition, while also keeping options open in Australia for further career opportunities.

The Porsche Junior Shootout will take place in Portugal in November this year, while the next round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will be held at this weekend’s Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 on the streets of Surfers Paradise.

Craig Nayda, Porsche Cars Australia Senior Motorsport Manager

“Congratulations to Bayley on his official nomination as our official Porsche Michelin Junior for 2025.

“Bayley’s progression through the Porsche ranks in Australia and his evolution to a front-running contender in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship is exactly what our Junior Programme is designed to achieve.

“He now has the tools, both behind the wheel and outside of the cockpit, to be best prepared to take on whatever racing adventure awaits him.

“In this case, that adventure will be representing Porsche Motorsport Australia in the best possible way in the 2025 Porsche Junior Shootout. We are confident that he will do just that.

“Thanks to our partners, in particular our incredible and longstanding friends at Michelin for their ongoing support of young drivers in Australia and New Zealand and Focus Driver Performance for their efforts this year.”

Bayley Hall – Porsche Michelin Junior Program Junior Nominee

“It was was cool to get the call from Craig (Nayda, Senior Motorsport Manager, Porsche Motorsport Australia) and receive the official Porsche Michelin Junior nomination, which is something I have been working towards since my first Cup Car test in 2021.

“I knew I had done a good job this year to get the results on track, but I have worked harder than ever outside of the car on my fitness, on media and with my sponsors and I definitely found out a little more within myself.

“I wanted to be the best I could be to show the factory I’m the driver they are looking for.

“To know the next steps in the process, fly to Germany and then Portugal for the Shootout is exciting. My immediate focus is on doing the job this weekend on the Gold Coast but then I’ll be able to sit back and pinch myself a bit while I prepare to go and make the most of this experience.

“I need to thank my family, supporters and sponsors for their support over the journey, as well as the team at McElrea Racing who were there at the very beginning of this journey. And to EMA Motorsport, who have given me the tools this year to be as competitive as we have been.

“It’s special to be part of the group of people from Porsche Carrera Cup Australia to have represented the Porsche Michelin Junior program in the past and I’ll be doing my absolute best to represent the championship well this year.”

Two-round showdown awaits as Porsche titles on the line

Equity-One Pro, Pro-Am, Enduro and teams titles all still up for grabs with two rounds remaining

ALL PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia championship battles remain wide open following a dramatic sixth round of the 2025 championship at the Repco Bathurst 1000.

Three unpredictable races served to not only deliver another lead change in the pulsating Equity-One Professional class battle but also close up the Pro-Am fight and both Endurance Cup battles with two rounds remaining.

Equity-One Professional class

THE OUTRIGHT fight for the championship took a major turn on the Mountain with Dylan O’Keeffe wrestling the lead away from Harri Jones for the second time this season.

Jones, the defending champion, had led from Round 1 but ceded the lead following O’Keeffe’s spectacular win in Darwin in June.

Jones took point in front again at Queensland Raceway and then extended his lead at The Bend thanks to a clean sweep; however, a disastrous weekend at Bathurst saw a more than120-point swing towards the Dexion / GWR Australia / RAM Motorsport driver.

That was compounded by a post-race point penalty applied to Jones for contact in Race 3.

Jones was penalised 25 championship points after the fact for contact with Clay Osborne at turn one that pushed the young Kiwi into Bayley Hall, who subsequently spun across the road into the path of Jones’ car.

While Jones failed to finish, Osborne was initially penalised in-race with a drive-through penalty for the contact.

However, a post-race review by Motorsport Australia officials cleared the young New Zealander, who would ultimately finish 16th in the race, of any wrongdoing.

Jones points penalty compounded the success of O’Keeffe’s trio of second-placed finishes which now sees the Victorian 69 points clear of Jones’ with two rounds and six races remaining.

The battle for third position also changed hands with David Russell’s recent run of form and Bathurst clean-sweep hoisting the TekworkX driver ahead of Bayley Hall and into the top three for the first time this season.

29 points split the pair for the final step on the overall podium with two rounds remaining, while Hall retains a commanding lead in the Porsche Michelin Junior rankings.

Dale Wood’s strong weekend saw him climb to fifth in the points, with five different teams represented in the top five.

Pro-Am class

FOUR wins in the last six races have pushed Matt Belford to within 37-points of season long Pro-Am class championship leader Rodney Jane with two races to go.

Belford’s supreme run of form has seen him claim six race wins this year to Jane’s one; though the Bob Jane T-Marts / Sonic Racing driver’s consistency ensures he retains the championship lead.

Pro-Am drivers only count seven of their eight championship rounds towards their final score with the ability to drop their worst score at the end of the season. On corrected scores, Jane continues to lead however by a reduced margin of just 8 points.

Matt Slavin climbed to third position in the championship at Bathurst and with dropped scores taken into account – his worst round was a zero-score at the Australian Grand Prix – the Victorian ARES / ASM driver is also a title contender.

Enduro Cup

IN Equity-One Pro, Harri Jones retains the lead in the Porsche Endurance Cup title with a 12-point lead over Dylan O’Keeffe, with Bayley Hall just 24 points further back in third.

In the Pro-Am class, Matt Belford now sits 15 points clear of Rodney Jane with Slavin in third place, eight points further back.

Teams Championship

THE Coveted Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia team’s championship, GWR Australia has a commanding lead over Sonic Motor Racing with two rounds remaining.

Considering the scores of two nominated drivers’ at each round, GWR’s supreme performance at Mount Panorama has seen them draw 349 points clear of their Melbourne-based rivals, with 362 points potentially available at each round.

EMA Motorsport and McElrea Racing sit third and fourth, respectively, and remain in contention for the title.

The winner of the Carrera Cup team’s championship receives the use of a Porsche Road car for the full 2026 season.

Russell sweeps, O’Keeffe claims title lead in climactic Bathurst event

Dramatic weekend ends with new championship leader as series heads to Queensland

DAVID RUSSELL has charged to his second Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship round victory in style at Mount Panorama, sweeping all three races for the first time in his career to deliver a perfect Panorama performance for TekworkX Motorsport. 

Meanwhile, round runner-up Dylan O’Keeffe’s strong weekend – coupled with a disaster for erstwhile leader Harri Jones – delivered the Dexion / RAM Motorsport / GWR Australia driver the championship lead for the second time this season with just two rounds remaining.

O’Keeffe’s brace of Equity-One Professional class podium finishes ensured he stormed to the top of the points, while Marco Giltrap celebrated a career first Porsche Carrera Cup podium at the same venue where he clinched his Michelin Sprint Challenge title two years ago.

In the Pro-Am class, Matt Belford claimed the sixth round of the championship with wins in the first two races and second in the Sunday finale, following home Matt Slavin who was second overall. Rodney Jane was third for the round however now has a significantly reduced lead in the Pro-Am championship standings with two to go.

Russell’s race three victory didn’t come easy despite leading away from pole position and gapping the field in the opening laps of the Sunday sprint race.

A broken brake balance cable mid-race saw O’Keeffe close on the lead and set the pair up to battle for the line.

While the latter attempted several passes, Russell’s defence was steadfast as he held on to claim career race win number 22 and his second round win – his first since Taupo in 2024.

With O’Keeffe second, Giltrap secured third position in both the race and round after spending much of the opening laps fending off a spirited challenge from Hamish Fitzsimmons, who was another to enjoy a career-best weekend.

Giltrap scored his first Carrera Cup trophy while Fitzsimmons’ weekend ended in fourth overall for the Jamec Racing / MPC squad.

The race three top-10 was rounded out by the brothers Wood – Dale in front of Glen – and a charging Angelo Mouzouris. Marcus Amand was next, the polesitter starting the race 24th and ending the opening lap in 12th position following a flying start.

He then picked off several more to work his way well into the top 10 in a stout recovery drive following his disappointments in races one and two.

Max Vidau – in his best race since returning to the championship yet – and Oscar Targett completed the top-10.

At the opposite end of the spectrum the weekend was brutal for the man who led the championship coming into the weekend, Harri Jones.

Penalised after crossing the line in second position in the opening race, Jones’ could only manage 10th position in race two – ensuring he started back in the pack for race three.

Things got worse in race one after he made contact Clay Osborne in the first corner as the field charged into turn one.

As a result, Osborne was hit into Bayley Hall, who spun across the road and into the path of Jones’ #1 entry, damaging the car enough to force him out of the race. Osborne was penalised during the race for the contact, however a subsequent post-race investigation proved that the Kiwi Porsche Michelin Junior was not at fault.

While Osborne’s in-race penalty could not be reversed, Jones’ was penalised 25 championship points for his role in the contact.

The non-finish was Jones’ worst Carrera Cup race since the 2024 Adelaide finale’ opener – by which point he had already claimed his second Carrera Cup title – and was enough to ensure O’Keeffe wrestled the championship lead away once again.

Their arm-wrestle for Carrera Cup supremacy will continue in Surfers Paradise in two weeks time.

Hall’s non-finish was similarly costly for the Porsche Michelin Junior championship leader, dropping him from third to fourth in overall championship as a result – Russell climbing into the championship top three for the first time this season.

The Pro-Am battle was between Matt Slavin and Matt Belford on Sunday, the latter copping damage early in the race and dropping his front splitter – making his car hard to drive and giving Slavin the advantage.

He’d go on to claim the win however Belford’s two wins in the opening races were enough to ensure he sealed the deal to claim the round victory and a substantial haul of championship points.

With Slavin on the Bathurst podium for the second consecutive year, Rodney Jane’s consistency shone through as the Pro-Am championship leader banked enough points to secure the final step on the podium.

With two rounds remaining, Jane continues to lead the Pro-Am Championship by a now reduced margin to Matt Belford, with Matt Slavin moving to third place.

The next round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will return the championship to the streets of Surfers Paradise and three races at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, on October 24-26.