O’Keeffe sweep delivers Carrera Cup championship lead change

GWR double Darwin delight as Matt Belford picks up Pro-Am round win

THE Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship has a new name at the top of the standings for the first time in 18 months, Dylan O’Keeffe charging to the top of the leader board thanks to a clean sweep in Darwin this weekend. 

The Dexion Australia / GWR Australia driver claimed pole and three race wins to rocket himself to the title lead, beating Harri Jones and Bayley Hall in the Equity-One Professional class round results.

It’s both O’Keeffe and GWR Australia first round win since September 2023 – a result made even better by the fact that teammate Matt Belford claimed the Pro-Am class victory, delivering the team a double victory.

Belford claimed the win following a winner-take all scenario in race three that ensured whomever won the final race would also claim the weekend overall, Belford doing the business to edge out Pro-am championship leader Rodney Jane and Race 1 winner Matt Slavin for the class win.

Sunday started with the 45-minute Enduro Cup race, which was claimed in a lights-to-flag performance by O’Keeffe despite starting on the outside of the front row.

He led home Bayley Hall, who capitalised on a rare late-race slip up from Harri Jones, who ran wide at turn five while running second to let the EMA driver through.

Jackson Walls charged to fourth position while Glen Wood was fifth in an equal career-best performance from the Embrey Attachments / EBM driver. Sonic’s Marcos Flack was next, taking advantage of a strange incident where both he and teammate Angelou Mouzouris ran wide at turn one at the same time – the former coming off the least compromised of the pair.

Oscar Targett grabbed seventh in a stout comeback from 15th on the grid while Mouzouris, Marco Giltrap and Tom McLennan completed the top-10.

After finishing third in race one, Matt Belford claimed the Pro-Am win over Jane and Slavin.

The race had early drama after contact on the opening lap between Dale Wood and David Russell saw the latter spinning on the exit of turn five, contacting the Connected Spaces / EBM car. Wood, who failed to finish, was penalised 15 championship points for the initial contact, while Russell recovered to 11th.

Race three saw a winner-take all shootout with O’Keeffe once again leading Jones on the race to turn one.

An aggressive Jackson Walls then worked his way to second at turn one to split the weekend-long contenders before a late mistake saw him run wide and cede the position to Jones.

Though the #1 car closed on O’Keeffe, he couldn’t make any impression on the final lap to allow O’Keeffe to claim the clean sweep.

With Jones second, Hall again finished third while David Russell executed an excellent comeback to finish fourth. Glen Wood was fifth once again in a consistent weekend, while Marcos Flack finished sixth.

The top-10 was completed by Mouzouris, Targett, Marco Giltrap and Walls – who slipped further back in the closing stages.

Belford grabbed the Pro-Am win, fending off pressure from Rodney Jane all race to claim the victory and deliver him the round result as well.

With three rounds now complete, Dylan O’Keeffe now claims the championship lead in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship with a narrow 10-point lead over Jones heading to Queensland Raceway in August.

Bayley Hall retains third in the standings while Marcos Flack sits fourth and Russell climbs to fifth for TekworkX.

Matt Belford’s Pro-Am success sees him close the championship margin to leader Rodney Jane to 67 points. Matt Slavin has climbed to third, while the absent Brett Boulton drops to fourth position. Pro-Am contenders can drop their worst round of the season.

The next round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will see the series return to Queensland Raceway in Ipwsich for the first time since the 2008 season on 8-10 August.

O’Keeffe grabs breakthrough win in Darwin

Matt Slavin claims Pro-Am win as polesitters convert in the Top End

DYLAN O’KEEFFE and GWR Australia have ended a winless drought dating back to September 2023 to take the first race in Round 3 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship in style. 

Starting from pole, O’Keeffe spent the entire race fending off defending champion Harri Jones to claim the fifth race win of his Carrera Cup career, edging closer to the Equity-One Professional class championship lead in the process.

The race was an intense battle between the pair as they traded fastest laps at the front of the field, pulling away from the pack in their own private battle for the win – the GWR driver running mistake-free, despite the pressure, to claim the win.

O’Keeffe is yet to finish outside the top five this in seven races to date this season, while he now provisionaly sits just eight points behind Jones in the championship race.

Jones was second in another solid performance, while a strong opening lap ensured David Russell scored he and TekworkX Motorsport’s best race finish of the season in third place.

Dale Wood finished a solid fourth in his Connected Spaces / EBM entry while Bayley Hall passed Angelo Mouzouris early in the race to score another top five finish for EMA Motorsport and consolidate third position in the championship.

Mouzouris’ top six place ensured six different teams finished in the top six while Glen Wood, Jackson Walls, Lockie Bloxsom and Marcos Flack completed the top-10.

The Pro-Am battle was just as competitive as the outright fight, with polesitter Matt Slavin ceding his early lead to Matt Belford before the pair started battling for the class lead.

Slavin was able to sneak past for the lead later in the race, a late spin from Belford in the leading battle elevating Rodney Jane to second at the finish.

Earlier in qualifying, O’Keeffe scored his first TAG Heuer Pole Award since Sandown 2023 after a session-long fight with Jones that ended with the pair separated by just 0.03 seconds.

Matt Slavin, meanwhile, claimed his first Pro-Am pole position award in style by edging Rodney Jane for the top spot by a similarly tiny margin.

Sunday’s action at the betr Darwin Triple Crown will see two races complete Round 3 of the championship, including the Enduro Cup race on Sunday morning before the final sprint later in the day.

Both races will be shown live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo, with race three also live on Channel 7.

Intense practice points to tight times in the Top End

Title contenders at the front however tiny margins highlight how close things are in Darwin

IT may have been nearly 100 days since the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia field took to the track, but the moment the field returned to the track today at Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin it was abundantly clear that nothing has changed. 

Two intense practice sessions have set the tone for the third round of the championship in the Top End, with the pair of sessions topped by Dylan O’Keeffe and Harri Jones, respectively.

However it was the second session of the day that properly set the tone as Jones’ headed a Equity-One Professional class field as tight as any in the championship.

Jones’ topped the charts by 0.006 seconds with O’Keeffe second and David Russell a further 0.007 seconds further back in third.

Double Darwin winner Dale Wood was fourth – a comparatively large 0.085 seconds from Jones’ – while Marcos Flack was fifth and Oscar Targett sixth.

Glenn Wood, Angelo Mouzouris, Hamish Fitzsimmons and Marco Giltrap completed the top 10 however the relative margins between them were negligible, the difference between fifth and 10th in the session just 0.05 seconds.

In the end just 0.53 covered all Equity-One Professional Class runners in the remarkable scorecard that had all the hallmarks of qualifying rather than a mere practice session.

Earlier in the cooler conditions of the morning, Dylan O’Keeffe set the quickest time of the day to top practice one ahead of teammate Jackson Walls and Harri Jones, with Wood fourth and Mouzouris fifth.

In Pro-Am two different drivers topped the two sessions, with Matt Belford quickest in practice one over Rodney Jane and Matt Slavin. The afternoon session saw Jane – fresh from a trip to compete at Le Mans – top the charts ahead of Slavin, with Belford surviving a spin at turn one to finish third.

The two relatively-incident free sessions point to an intense qualifying session tomorrow morning, to be followed by the opening sprint race of the weekend – both sessions will be shown live on Fox Sports and Kayo, while the race will also be live on the screens of Seven around Australia.

Porsche Carrera Cup returns to action in Darwin

Battle to recommence following lengthy break as Top End awaits title contenders

THE PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship bursts back into life this week at the betr Darwin Triple Crown, following a nearly 100-day break between rounds. 

The third round of the 2025 championship will get underway a full 96 days following the most recent race, held at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne in March.

Incredibly, it’s an identical number of days between the final race of the 2024 season and the first of the 2025 season – meaning teams have essentially had another entire offseason to prepare for a return to racing.

Since the Grand Prix, three rounds of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge have been contested, as have nine Repco Supercars  Championship races, four rounds of IMSA Sports Car Championship competition – three of them won by Porsche Penske Motorsport – and three rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship including the Le Mans 24 Hours.

This weekend marks the 12th visit by Australia’s top one-make championship to the Northern Territory, with history dating back to 2003.

Defending champion Harri Jones will lead a 20-car field to the Top End this weekend, the Queenslander’s #1 Jones Motorsport Porsche holding a narrow 15-point Equity-One Professional class lead over perennial contender Dylan O’Keeffe’s Dexion GWR Australia entry.

Bayley Hall (EMA Motorsport), Marcos Flack (Sonic Motor Racing) and Oscar Targett (Earl Bamber Motorsport) complete the top five in the Equity-One Pro standings, with five different teams represented.

Jones’ won in Darwin twelve months ago on his way to his second Carrera Cup title and, after winning round 1 this year, will be keen to return to the top of the standings after a challenging weekend at the Australian Grand Prix that ate into his early championship lead.

Another Darwin contender could also be Jackson Walls, who claimed Round 2 of the championship in Melbourne as he embarks on a part-time campaign this season amidst his commitments in the Super 2 championship. Walls’ finished third overall in Darwin twelve months ago.

Returning to the Top End will be another driver with strong local form – in fact he’s the most successful Porsche driver the Hidden Valley circuit the event has ever seen.

Dale Wood’s Connected Spaces Porsche finished runner-up in 2024, backing up round victories scored in 2023 and 2022. The Victorian has won six times in the Top End, as well as claiming the TAG Heuer Pole Award on two occasions. Wood also retains the Hidden Valley Qualifying and Race lap records for Porsche Carrera Cup Australia.

The Pro-Am battle heads to Darwin wide open, with defending Darwin winner Adrian Flack on the sidelines for this round.

That clears a pathway for current championship leader Rodney Jane (Bob Jane T-Marts Sonic Motor Racing) to potentially extend his series lead, while Brett Boulton will be looking for a strong Darwin debut aboard his stunning Lightning Macqueen-inspired car from McElrea Racing.

Matt Belford sits third in the Pro-Am class while Matt Slavin will look to rebound from a challenging round at the Grand Prix that saw him leave Melbourne with zero points.

Five drivers will make their respective Darwin debuts this weekend: Porsche Michelin Juniors Oscar Targett, Caleb Sumich, Clay Osborne and Hamish Fitzsimmons and Pro-Am frontrunner Brett Boulton.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship field hits the track on Friday for a pair of practice sessions ahead of qualifying and race one on Saturday.

Two further races, including the 45-minute Enduro Cup race, complete the program on Sunday.

Practice 2, qualifying and all three races will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo, while races one and three will also be shown on the screens of Seven.

Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship, Round 3
betr Darwin Triple Crown, Hidden Valley Raceway, Darwin, NT.

Matt Campbell second in Le Mans 24 Hours

Campbell joins elite group with outright podium finish in around-the-clock epic

MATT CAMPBELL has finished second in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, propelling Porsche Penske Motorsport and the Porsche 963 Hybrid to their first podium of the Hypercar era in the iconic race.  

A late race stint from Campbell was key to pushing the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport entry – shared with Laurens Vanthoor and Kevin Estre – into podium contention after the team had run inside the top five for much of the race.

A flat out, intense affair had turned into a pitched battle between Campbell’s Porsche and the three factory Ferrari’s as other challengers faded.

Though the car slightly struggled for raw pace during the night time running, it came alive as the sun rose over La Sarthe on Sunday as the trio moved forward to challenge the Ferrari trio as the race evolved.

Campbell was in the car for the penultimate stint and when he handed the car over to Estre for the final 90 minutes of the race they sat in second position, but under pressure from the Ferrari’s.

Estre then steadied the car in second and ensured they followed the winning Ferrari home by less than twenty seconds. The result was made even sweeter by the fact they had started 21st and last of the Hypercar runners after being excluded from qualifying earlier in the week.

“Tomorrow we will look at the result and think that we have achieved more than we could have expected after the practice sessions and qualifying,” Laurens Vanthoor said.

“Today, however, the disappointment prevails. We delivered an absolutely perfect race and virtually had one hand on the biggest trophy – you don’t often come that close to such a triumph. What a pity!”

The winners completed 387 laps, or more than 5,100 kilometres of the iconic Le Mans circuit, while Porsche received the Sustainability award from event promoter ACO, for their mission to donate 500 Euro per lap completed during the race – the Porsche trio completing 1,159 laps in total.

In a productive day for Porsche, all three Porsche Penske Motorsport 963s finished inside the top-10 outright, while Manthey Racing also backed up their 2024 win in the LM GT3 category with their Porsche 911 GT3R.

It’s the third time Campbell has stood on the Le Mans podium, having already been part of the 2018 LM GTE Am class winning combination on his debut at the circuit in 2018. He also went on to finish second in the same class two years later. It was, however, his best finish in the outright class – backing up sixth position last year.

Campbell joins an elite group of just seven Australian drivers to have finished on the outright podium at Le Mans, and one of even fewer to do so in a Porsche.

Ryan Briscoe finished second outright in 2022 and was the last Aussie to score an outright podium Mark Webber was the last to do so in a Porsche, finishing runner-up in 2014.

Vern Schuppan, one of just three Australians to win the race outright, did so in a Porsche 956.

Porsche Motorsport collection now available

Motorsport clothing and accessories available via online store now

PORSCHE MOTORSPORT apparel and accessories are now available to purchase online, with the new Motorsport Replica collection launched today. 

Experience Porsche’s racing legacy with the launch of our new Motorsport Replica collection. This new range of motorsport clothing and accessories is designed to bring the spirit of the track into your everyday life, combining authentic motorsport style with premium quality.

From T-Shirts to jackets, winter gear and headwear to a range of Porsche Penske Motorsport gear, there’s something for everyone.

You can secure your piece of the Motorsport Replica collection via the Porsche.com.au online store now.

Ghiretti claims the finale’, Walls takes the round

Flack claims Pro-Am win and home-town hero Jane the round in Melbourne thriller

CARRERA CUP champion Alessandro Ghiretti has charged to the front to claim his first win in Australia’s Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup championship on Saturday night at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. 

The EMA Motorsport driver starred in a Saturday twilight fight, working his way through the leading group to take the race three victory and end his Aussie debut on a high.

Meanwhile, Jackson Walls did enough to claim the Equity-One Professional class Round victory, the second of his career and his second at Albert Park.

Adrian Flack won the Pro-Am battle on Saturday while Rodney Jane raced his way to an extended championship lead by claiming his second successive round win in Carrera Cup’s race within a race.

The race was a thriller as O’Keeffe got the jump on Walls to lead the field into turn one as the sun set on a warm Melbourne evening.

The pair battled out front while Jones slotted into third position and Ghiretti fourth in the early running, but he soon picked his way forward and engaged in a thrilling fight for the lead with O’Keeffe.

The Dexion driver was able to fend off the Italian star for several laps of hard racing before he slipped past between turns 11 and 12 to take a lead he’d never lose.

O’Keeffe consolidated in second position while Walls was third, doing enough to take the round victory for the second time in his career.

There was late drama behind as a locked brake from a then fourth-placed Harri Jones saw him fall into the clutches of Bayley Hall, who was a hard charger late in the second EMA Motorsport car. The pair boxed on through the final corners with Jones running wide and dropping several spots; Hall also losing time but still crossing the line in front of his nearest title rival.

In between the leaders and them was Marcos Flack, who enjoyed his strongest Carrera Cup weekend in twelve months, and David Russell who charged home in his TekworkX Racing entry to record his best finish of the weekend.

With Jones’ seventh, Dale Wood, Clay Osborne and Hamish Fitzsimmons rounded out the top-10.

The battle for Pro-Am was similarly competitive with Matt Belford looking to make it six winners from six races this season as he led the race mid way through.

He, however, had to deal with a resurgent Adrian Flack who had charged his way through the field following a challenging weekend for the EBM driver.

Flack slipped past after a hard and clean fight between the pair late in the race, while Shahin also passed the ID_Land car late to grab second, Belford finishing third.

Through it all, however, was Mr. Consistency Rodney Jane who claimed his second round win on the trot to extend his championship lead heading to the next round in Darwin.

More to follow..

XPEL joins Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia in 2025

XPEL branding will appear throughout the Carrera Cup paddock and on each of the Type 992 Porsche GT3 Cup Cars

XPEL Australia, an industry leader in paint protection films, ceramic coatings, window tint and more, will join the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship as a partner in 2025.

Known globally to motorsport fans as a major backer of Scott McLaughlin’s Team Penske IndyCar and more recently as a partner of the iconic Bathurst 12 Hour, XPEL is also an approved Paint Protection Film supplier with Porsche – adding even more to this brand-new relationship.

XPEL branding will appear throughout the Carrera Cup paddock and on each of the Type 992 Porsche GT3 Cup Cars competing in Australia’s top one-make category this year, with the partnership to kick off this weekend at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Porsche Carrera Cup, a premier racing series that shares our passion for innovation and performance,” said Myles Hunter, XPEL General Manager Australia & New Zealand.

“As an approved Paint Protection Film supplier with Porsche, this partnership takes our relationship to the next level and allows us to showcase our industry-leading protection films and coatings to a global audience.”

Added Senior Motorsport Manager, Porsche Cars Australia, Craig Nayda: “We’re proud to have one of the best-presented grids in Australian Motorsport and our partnership with XPEL will help us keep them looking that way at every round, from Melbourne to Darwin, Bathurst to Adelaide and everything in between.

“In a competitive field, XPELs products are a class above and we are excited to work as a category with Myles and his team at XPEL Australia to showcase their brand throughout the year ahead.”

For more information about XPEL, please visit www.xpel.com

About XPEL

XPEL is a leading provider of protective films and coatings, including paint protection film, surface protection film, window films and ceramic coatings in the automotive, architectural and marine industries. With a global footprint, a network of trained installers and proprietary DAP software, XPEL is dedicated to exceeding customer expectations by providing high-quality products, leading customer service, expert technical support and world-class training. XPEL, Inc. is publicly traded on Nasdaq under the symbol “XPEL”.

Walls returns to the top of Carrera Cup in Melbourne

Rodney Jane on top on Pro-Am at the end of a dramatic Carrera Cup day in Melbourne

HE MAY only be contesting a partial campaign in this year’s Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship, but that’s not stopping Jackson Walls’ charge for success in the one-make Porsche category this year. 

His Objective Racing #11 entry fielded by GWR Australia was in the right place at the right time to claim race two of the championship weekend at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, leading home Bayley Hall and Marcos Flack to take the Equity-One Professional class in another dramatic Melbourne affair.

Rodney Jane claimed a win in the Pro-Am class after race one winner Sam Shahin was outsted from the running, with Brett Boulton and Dean Cook completing the podium.

Walls pathway to victory came following early leader Harri Jones running off the road at turn one following a late-race restart in Friday evening’s sprint.

The Sydneysider had survived the opening lap to climb to second and chase his former title rival early in race two and pounced the moment Jones’ fell off the road at the opening corner, Walls never headed from there to claim his fifth career Carrera Cup race win and his first for his new team.

It ended Jones’ – who finished 7th in the end – run of four consecutive race victories: the best start to a Carrera Cup Australia Championship since Alex Davison achieved the same feat in his title-winning 2004 season a full two decades ago.

The defending champion had led from pole to the point where a Safety Car slowed the field. With Walls trailing, his restart looked strong until the opening corner when the #1 car ran off the road – rejoining in the midst of a furious battle pack for the back half of the top 10 to salvage championship points.

With Walls in front, Bayley Hall’s super consistent weekend continued with another second position to close the championship points margin to leader Jones, while Marcos Flack continued his love affair with Albert Park by finishing third, the first top three finish for both he and Sonic Motor Racing since the same event twelve months ago.

The ever-present Clay Osborne scored his second career-best result in as many races with fourth position while Dylan O’Keeffe salvaged solid points in fifth.

Fast Frenchman Alessandro Ghiretti survived contact earlier in the race to recover to sixth position, one spot ahead of Jones – who in turn led home David Russell, Angelo Mouzouris and Hamish Fitzsimmons, a quiet achiever on his way to his second top-10 finish of the season.

In Pro-Am, Rodney Jane was the key beneficiary as contact caused Sam Shahin to stop, the race one winner out of the race on lap six.

Former champion Adrian Flack was another to feel Albert Park’s wrath, contact between two other cars forcing the two-time champ to the non-finishers list as well.

Through it all came Rodney Jane, who extended his series lead in the Pro-Am battle thanks to a strong win aboard his Bob Jane T-Marts Sonic entry.

Brett Boulton scored another podium in the increasingly popular Lightning Mcqueen liveried McElrea racer, while the returning Dean Cook capped off a solid day for GWR in third.

Seven cars failed to finish: heavy contact at turn seven ending Matt Slavin’s comeback drive after an incident in turn one also ended his first race early.

Caleb Sumich was another to fail to finish after suffering radiator damage aboard his entry, while Jacque Jarjo, Shahin, Flack, Glen Wood and Max Vidau also failed to make it to the line.

A third and final race completes the weekend on Saturday evening at Albert Park

Jones claims win in dramatic, unpredictable Melbourne opener

Thrilling fight between Carrera Cup champion goes Aussie's way following a late race twist

ONE MAKE Porsche champions from both sides of the globe have battled for early supremacy as Round 2 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship commenced at Albert Park today.

Reigning Carrera Cup Australia champion Harri Jones and Carrera Cup France and Asia champion Alessandro Ghiretti dueled for the lead in today’s 30-minute opener at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Harri Jones coming out on top in a thrilling one-lap dash to the line.

Ghiretti crossed the line first however a five-second penalty for weaving on the restart saw the Frenchman drop down the order to finish eighth, handing Jones’ his fourth consecutive race win on the hop this year.

In Pro-Am, Sam Shahin claimed a strong victory while a stout recovery drive from Adrian Flack saw the defending champion charge to second, with Rodney Jane third.

With the race held late on Thursday afternoon in bright sunshine, Jones leaped into a stunning early lead, making a perfect start and leading the first lap by more than two seconds.

Behind, Jackson Walls, Bayley Hall and Alessandro Ghiretti all battled for second place with Hall sneaking past the returning Objective Racing pilot. He was soon passed by his EMA Motorsport teammate who moved to second in pursuit of early leader Jones.

As the race settled down at the front battles built through the field with Clay Osborne a strong sixth in front of 2024 Grand Prix winner Marcos Flack.

The Safety Car was called at the half-way mark after Matt Slavin made heavy contact with the wall on the exit of Turn 2.

Slavin was passing a slow-moving Rodney Jane who was on the inside of the road, grabbing the marbles on the outside of the circuit and finding the wall.

That delivered the Safety Car to the circuit, closing Ghiretti to the back of leader Jones for a sprint to the finish.

Jones timed his restart to perfection and fended off his former Supercup rival, only for a Safety Car to be called for a second time after Indiran Padayachee found himself in the gravel trap at turn one following the restart.

That set up a thrilling one-lap dash to the line and while Jones judged his first restart to perfection, his second wasn’t quite as strong as Ghiretti slipped past at turn one.

However, stewards quickly imposed a five-second penalty on the EMA Motorsport car after he was judged to have weaved following the Safety Car extinguishing his Safety Car lights.

That allowed Jones’ to claim his fourth straight win, while Bayley Hall continued his strong start to the championship in second and Dylan O’Keeffe third.

After starting on the front row, Jackson Walls finished fourth while Michelin Junior Clay Osborne finished fifth in his best-yet Carrera Cup race.

Marcos Flack posted his best result of the season in sixth for Sonic Motor Racing, with Ghiretti, David Russell and Angelo Mouzouris rounding out the top-10.

Oscar Targett had looked a contender for a top six finish early however spun at turn three on the final restart, ultimately finishing down the order.

In Pro-Am, Sam Shahin had things his own way to grab his first win of the season before he jumps to a second Porsche Supercup campaign in Europe.

Adrian Flack recovered from an opening-lap spin to finish second in class in what has been a challenging start to his championship defense, while Sydney winner Rodney Jane finished third.

Further behind, an otherwise challenging day for Earl Bamber Motorsport was salvaged by recovery drives by two of their contenders: Marco Giltrap storming from the back of the field to 13th position after a throttle issue ruled him out of qualifying.

Dale Wood was another to storm from the back of the field, finishing 14th after a crash saw him also relegated to the back of the grid.

Grand Prix battlelines set as huge Porsche field readies for Albert Park

29-strong grid includes international visitors, returning Pro-Am stars and much more

TWENTY NINE Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Cars will charge into Turn One at Albert Park this week as the second round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship returns to the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

It’s a stacked field of talent that includes the return of a key contender from last year, a current champion of one-make Porsche racing in Asia and France plus the last three Albert Park winners in Australia’s top one-make category.

Carrera Cup’s 16th visit to the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix comes with Harri Jones (Equity-One Professional class) and Rodney Jane (Pro-Am) leading their respective championships, while GWR Australia carries a narrow lead in the team’s championship and Bayley Hall takes point in the Michelin Juniors.

All of them will find stern opposition this weekend, especially the outright contenders as current Carrera Cup Asia and France champion Alessandro Ghiretti joins the fray with EMA Motorsport.

A factory-supported Porsche Junior, Ghiretti will aim to follow in the footsteps of the last international ring-in who made an Aussie cameo: Supercup ace Harry King winning at Bathurst two years ago on his cameo, also with EMA Motorsport.

Ghiretti will be one of six drivers competing at Albert Park for the first time this weekend: Porsche Michelin Juniors Oscar Targett, Caleb Sumich, Clay Osborne and Hamish Fitzsimmons will all compete in Melbourne for the first time, as will Pro-Am racer Jacque Jarjo.

Returning this weekend is Jackson Walls, who’s Objective Racing machine commences his part-time campaign at rounds that don’t clash with his Super2 Series commitments with Triple Eight.

Walls was the 2023 winner at Albert Park, his sole Carrera Cup round win, and returns this year with the GWR Australia team running his iconic #11 entry.

GWR will field four cars for the first time in their Porsche one-make history with the return of Dean Cook to the Pro-Am class, 4-time round winner Dean Cook to also make his first start of the 2025 season this weekend. Experienced Pro-Am contender Indiran Padayachee also returns for his debut this year.

Albert Park’s wide open expanses often produce thrilling Carrera Cup racing with last year’s event at Albert Park no exception; while Harri Jones scored the TAG Heuer Pole award and won the first two races (and the round) there was a surprise winner in race three: teenager Marcos Flack claiming his first win in the Bob Jane T-Marts Sonic entry.

The past three Albert Park round winners, Jones, Walls and 2022 winner Max Vidau, are all represented on the grid this weekend.

Jones’ leads the championship to Albert Park having dominated the opening round in Sydney last month, sweeping all three races to take an early lead. Bayley Hall had a solid opener in second while Dylan O’Keeffe sits third.

Jane’s first Pro-Am win since the late 2000s has him heading to his home circuit on top of the class with Matt Slavin and Brett Boulton next. Two-time defending champion Adrian Flack will look to kickstart his search for a third title this weekend, having claimed fifth overall in Sydney.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will tackle three races across the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix weekend, with Thursday the busiest day on-track by far.

There, the field will practice, qualify and race before one race each on Friday and Saturday evenings bookends the massive Grand Prix schedule.

Qualifying and all three races will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo Sport this weekend.

ENTRY LIST: Round 2, Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship
Albert Park, Melbourne

Porsche Junior talent Alessandro Ghiretti to line-up in Melbourne for EMA Motorsport

Global Porsche junior to join the field at Albert Park

EMA Motorsport will add a third car to its stable for the upcoming Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup event in Melbourne. Alessandro Ghiretti will join season regulars Bayley Hall and Sam Shahin for the event, taking place as part of the support card for the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend.

Ghiretti is the reigning Asian and French Porsche Carrera Cup champion, having also secured the coveted title of Porsche Junior in 2024.

With the support of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia organization, the #91 entry will join the bumper Carrera Cup Australia grid for the F1 weekend, competing around Albert Park. Alessandro will make his Australian debut but is no stranger to the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, having raced them successfully over the past four years.

Last season, the 23-year-old French driver contested the Carrera Cup championships in across France and Aisa, standing on the top step of the podium a combined 17 times, with a further seven further podiums to secure both titles. In addition to this, he also scored his first win in the Mobil 1 Porsche Supercup.

Alessandro joins EMA Motorsport at the second race event of the 2025 season, along with another Junior talent, Bayley Hall, who made a strong start to his championship in Sydney. Two P2 finishes coupled to a top four result kickstarted Bayley’s campaign, currently holding in second position in the championship standings.

Said Ghiretti: “I’m really excited about joining EMA Motorsport for the Melbourne GP weekend. Racing at such a prestigious event is always something special, and this will be my first time racing in Australia, which makes it even more incredible. I’m super happy to have this opportunity, and I can’t wait to experience the atmosphere and the track firsthand.

“I want to sincerely thank the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific, and Porsche Motorsport for making this possible, and to EMA Motorsport for this opportunity and their trust.

“They have put together a strong lineup for the weekend, and I believe we have everything we need to deliver a strong result, so I’m looking forward to working together and making the most of this amazing event.”

Round 2 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Championship takes place over the Australian F1 weekend, 13-16 March.

Dominant Jones, returning Jane claim Sydney round success

Pro-Am victory to Rodney Jane for the first time since October 2008

IN A crushing performance, Harri Jones has swept all before him to claim the opening round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship in a weekend clean-sweep.

Meanwhile, 227-race Carrera Cup stalwart Rodney Jane claimed the Pro-Am class victory overall in Sydney to stand on the top step of the podium in his class for the first time since October, 2008

Jones’ domination of the Equity-One Professional class ranks came via a crushing victory in the Enduro Cup race and then despite a five-second penalty in race three for rolling at the start; the reigning champion was able to extend his margin beyond that anyway.

Jones’ seventh round win has him in front of the championship heading into Round two, while Bayley Hall was second overall in his first event for EMA Motorsport.

Dylan O’Keeffe made it three different teams in the top three in Pro as he had a consistent start to his championship.

While Bayley Hall was the top Michelin Junior of the event, Oscar Target impressed again on Sunday and finished an outstanding fourth outright in his debut weekend, since claiming the Michelin Sprint Challenge title last year.

Jane’s Pro-Am win was the 11^th of his career and came via a consistent three-race performance aboard his Bob Jane T-Marts / Monster Wheels Sonic Motor Racing entry.

He led home Matt Slavin, who claimed his first ever Pro-Am race victory in race three as he fended off Adrian Flack in the final race of the event.

Brett Boulton finished third overall in Pro-Am on his Carrera Cup debut – and the debut of his immensely popular Lightning McQueen livery.

The pair of races on Sunday were both action-packed, despite Jones’ domination out front.

The Queenslander claimed the Enduro Cup opener in style as he dominated the field in the 45-minute affair on Sunday morning.

Starting from pole, Jones’ made a better start than his race one effort and led the field into turn one – and was never headed from there.

He claimed the win by 17 seconds in as dominant a performance the reigning champion has ever strung together in his career.

It was a 1-2 result for current Porsche champions with Oscar Targett second aboard his Street Machine Garage / EBM machine – the young Queenslander taking advantage of a Bayley Hall lockup to grab the second spot on the podium mid race.

He then spent the remainder of the race fending off Dylan O’Keeffe’s Dexion / GWR car to claim his best Carrera Cup result yet.

With O’Keeffe third and Hall fourth, a mid-race pass on teammate Dale Wood saw Marco Giltrap claim a well-earned fifth position aboard the Team Porsche NZ entry.

Behind that pair was a remarkable 7-car fight for the minors that saw Sonic’s Angelo Mouzouris attacked from all sides for much of the race; the Bob Jane car ultimately holding off David Russell, Caleb Sumich, Max Vidau and a host of others.

The battle for Pro-Am was just as intense as Sam Shahin escaped to an early lead over Adrian Flack.

With both looking to score following their race one non-finish, the pair spent the first 30 minutes virtually inseparable as they battled for the lead; Flack slipping past with a great display of clean racing between the pair via a nice move at turn four.

With that pair out in front, Rodney Jane led home a battling pack to secure third position, Brett Boulton fourth and Matt Slavin next, though that pair – plus Matt Belford and Jacque Jarjo – were all in the mix.

Race three was a short sprint with everyone battling for tyre life on the hard-wearing Sydney surface.

Hall made the best start from the outside of the front row and led Jones for the first five corners, before he was passed at turn six.

With Jones then notified of his five-second time penalty, the #1 car set about a series of qualifying laps out front and was able to extend his margin beyond the required gap well before the end of the race.

Hall fended off O’Keeffe to finish second, with Oscar Targett spending most of his race with a large queue behind him; Marco Giltrap claiming fifth and Dale Wood sixth.

Caleb Sumich’s seventh was his personal best race result; David Russell eighth, Marcos Flack ninth and Glen Wood completed the top 10.

The Pro-Am race was an undulating affair with Slavin fending off a charging Adrian Flack to claim his first race win in the class, with Brett Boulton and Rodney Jane next – the latter doing enough to hold on and claim the round victory.

A highly competitive opening round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship sets the tone for Round 2 of the series, set to take place at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne next month.

Jones and Jarjo deliver first-time teams Carrera Cup victories in Sydney

Hall, O'Keeffe see experience on the outright podium in Race 1 of the 2025 season

THE FIRST race of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship delivered a pair of first-time team winners in a short, sharp and unpredictable season opener at Sydney Motorsport Park on Saturday afternoon. 

Defending champion Harri Jones delivered his own family team, Jones Motorsport, their maiden Carrera Cup win while series rookie Jacque Jarjo and DNA Autosport paired to win the Pro-Am class on their respective debuts in the championship.

RACE 1 Results – Click Here

The season opener was dramatic from the outset as Jones out-dragged Bayley Hall into the first turn to take the lead.

Behind them there was chaos as an unfortunate incident saw a slowing Sonic driver Angelo Mouzouris and Pro-Am contenders Adrian Flack and Sam Shahin tangle at turn two, the latter pair out of the race instantly.

Following a Safety Car, Jones led the field back to green and set about building a substantial margin while the remainder of the field battled behind.

With Hall second, Michelin Junior Oscar Targett ran third in the early stages before Dylan O’Keeffe pounced with a decisive move at turn two; the Dexion / GWR driver claiming third. The Victorian then set about chasing Bayley Hall for the remainder however was unable to catch the EMA Motorsport driver in his first race with the team.

Jones’ comfortably claimed his 18th career win, however the bigger storyline was the maiden victory for his own Jones Motorsport squad in Carrera Cup – their program hastily assembled in just six weeks following the unfortunate closure of his former team, Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport.

With Hall second and O’Keeffe third, Targett’s fourth made it four different teams in the top four.

Dale Wood wrestled his way into fifth position while Marco Giltrap survived a wild moment at turn two on the opening lap to finish sixth, one position lower than where he started.

David Russell took advantage of the lap one, turn two dramas to claim several spots – jumping from 12th on the grid to seventh at the finish in his TekworkX entry. Marcos Flack, Glen Wood and Michelin Junior Clay Osborne completed the top 10 in race one – the latter another to run wide on the opening lap, dropping spots in the turn two chaos.

With Flack and Shahin out of the race early, Jacque Jarjo was the main beneficiary and climbed from third to first on the opening lap.

The Michelin Sprint Challenge regular then managed a 1.5 second margin to category veteran Rodney Jane to claim his maiden Carrera Cup win on his series debut, and the same for his DNA Autosport team.

Jane’s second commenced his championship in style while Danny Stutterd claimed third position in Pro-Am.

The opening round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship continues on Sunday at the Thrifty Sydney 500 with a pair of races to complete the opening round.

This report updates..

Giltrap, O’Keeffe, Shahin the Friday form guide in Sydney

Tightly-packed grid launches into new season with pair of Sydney practice sessions

MARCO GILTRAP and Dylan O’Keeffe have shared the Equity-One Pro honours in the opening day of the 2025 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship. 

The pair respectively topped practice one and two today, but perhaps more importantly were among the top three in each session as they turn their attention to TAG Heuer qualifying tomorrow at Sydney Motorsport Park.

In the Pro-Am battle, Sam Shahin was the man to beat as The Bend Motorsport Park EMA Motorsport driver topped both sessions today.

Giltrap’s Team Porsche NZ entry was quickest in the initial 25-minute session of the season, edging out defending champion Harri Jones by less than one-tenth of a second.

O’Keeffe was third with Bayley Hall and David Russell completing the top five. Brothers Glenn and Dale Wood were next, Caleb Sumich eighth with Lockie Bloxsom and Marcos Flack rounding out the top-10.

Shahin topped the Pro-Am ranks in 15th overall with Matt Slavin second and Matt Belford third: defending champion Adrian Flack further back electing to run older Michelin rubber in the first session.

Practice two was held much later in the evening as the lights began to take effect at Sydney Motorsport Park, O’Keeffe’s qualifying sim putting him to the top of the charts – narrowly ahead of practice one pacesetter Giltrap.

Bloxsom jumped to third late in the session as he lead a trio of late McElrea improvers – his teammates Clay Osborne and Caleb Sumich in the mix as was current Michelin Sprint Challenge champion, Oscar Targett, who was fourth.

Glen Wood and Bayley Hall were within half a second of the outright pace, while Max Vidau jumped into the top 10 in the second session, having not run new tyres in the first.

Dale Wood rounded out the top 10, while a session-long race simulation saw Harri Jones one of only two cars to not visit pit lane at all in the session.

Sam Shahin topped the Pro-Am ranks to sweep the day, with Matt Belford second and Adrian Flack – another to save fresh rubber for the second session – third.

Both sessions contested on Friday progressed without significant interruption or delay, an off from Rodney Jane in the latter part of Practice two – where he made contact with the tyre barriers at Turn one – the largest moment of the day.

Attention now turns to the battle for the TAG Heuer pole award on Saturday afternoon and the first race of a new Carrera Cup season later that evening.

Both qualifying and Race 1 will be shown live on Fox Sports and Kayo, while the season opener will also be live on the Seven network.

ENTRY LIST: 2025 to launch into life with strong Sydney field

Equity-One Pro, Pro-Am, Michelin Junior and enduro battles all to commence this weekend in Sydney

A BRAND-NEW Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship awaits, the 20^th competitive season of Australia’s top one-make category to commence this weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park in New South Wales.

A 25-strong grid of Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Cars will compete this weekend, comprised of experienced Professionals, up-and-coming Michelin Juniors and a large Pro-Am grid competing as a Carrera Cup ‘race within the race’ this weekend.

The chase is on to beat defending Equity-One Pro and outright Champion Harri Jones, who commences his quest for both back-to-back and three Carrera Cup titles this weekend.

Jones’ returns with his own family-run Jones Motorsport team preparing his #1 Hastings Deering CAT-supported entry. It’s the first time anyone has run the #1 since the 2018 season when David Wall fielded it during his title defense.

It’s the same situation in Pro-Am, with defending champion Adrian Flack looking for three titles in a row aboard his AGAS National EBM entry.

However, both current champions will find themselves targeted by a host of rivals in both categories this year.

Reigning Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Champion Oscar Targett makes his Carrera Cup debut this weekend as he leads the charge of a stacked Junior grid.

It marks the first time since the 2018 season that both of Australia’s one-make Porsche series champions will be represented on the same grid.

Eight members of the 2025 Porsche Michelin Junior class are represented this year, including proven Carrera Cup winners Bayley Hall and Marcos Flack, the returning Lockie Bloxsom and rookie Hamish Fitzsimmons, who also steps up from Sprint Challenge alongside Clay Osborne and Caleb Sumich. 2023 Sprint Challenge Champion Marco Giltrap, driving for Team Porsche NZ, also returns this year fresh from a strong summer in New Zealand’s Porsche Endurance Trophy.

They’ll be aiming to beat the experienced Professional class grid which includes last year’s runner-up David Russell, 2024 third-place finisher Dylan O’Keeffe, 20-time race winner Dale Wood, brother Glen, the returning Max Vidau and Angelo Mouzouris, among others.

The Pro-Am field is equally competitive with nine cars to race within Carrera Cup’s ‘Race within a race’ this weekend.

Those who join the Pro-Am grid include former Sprint Challenge class champion Brett Boulton and 2024 Sprint Challenge Class B winner, Jacque Jarjo.

Four drivers – Targett, Jarjo, Fitzsimmons and Boulton – will make their Carrera Cup debuts this weekend while 11 drivers have less than a full season’s worth of competition in the championship.

To balance that, 14 drivers have made 20 or more round starts offering a year-long battle of youth versus experience this year.

Two drivers, Dale Wood and Dylan O’Keeffe, will start their 50^th Carrera Cup Australia events this weekend.

The 2025 grid also offers the broadest spectrum of team representation seen in some time, with 10 different outfits fielding the 25 cars entered in Sydney.

Jones Motorsport and DNA Autosport will make their respective Carrera Cup debuts this weekend, joining the returning EMA Motorsport and existing squads McElrea Racing, Sonic Motor Racing Services, TekworkX Motorsport, GWR Australia, Melbourne Performance Centre, Ashley Seward Motorsport and Earl Bamber Motorsport in a competitive teams battle this year.

The 2025 championship commences this weekend in Sydney and then backs up with the regular support slot at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, before trips to Darwin, Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, Bathurst, Gold Coast and Adelaide to complete the year.

Following two practice sessions on Friday, qualifying and Race 1 will be held on Saturday at Sydney Motorsport Park this weekend, with the Enduro Cup opener (Sunday morning) and the final race of Round 1 to be held on Sunday.

All sessions will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo, while Races 1 and 3 will also be broadcast live on the Seven Network.

ENTRY LIST: Round 1, Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship

Sprint Challenge champion Targett steps up

Carrera Cup debut for young Grove Racing Junior

Grove Junior Driver Oscar Targett will continue his development within the Grove Junior Program in 2025, marking an exciting new chapter in his motorsport career as he takes the next step up to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

Targett will join Earl Bamber Motorsport to compete in the prestigious competition, with the continued support of the Grove Junior Team as he works towards a future with the parent team, Penrite Racing.

Having shown significant promise and skill throughout his career thus far, Targett’s move to Carrera Cup Australia is a natural progression for the talented young driver. The series is known for being one of the most competitive and high-profile categories in Australian motorsport, and Targett’s involvement in 2025 will mark an important milestone as he strives to reach the pinnacle of touring car racing.

Oscar Targett expressed his excitement about the upcoming season, saying, “I’m incredibly grateful for the ongoing support from the Grove Junior Team and excited for the challenge of Carrera Cup Australia. It’s a great opportunity to develop my skills further with Earl Bamber Motorsport and continue to utilise the resources and experience of the Grove Junior Team. I am very excited to have new partners, Street Machine Garage and Shure join me for this vital step in my career and with the return of Brisbane Caravan Warehouse along with many other long-time supporters, I’m ready for the next step and look forward to what 2025 holds.”

The Grove Junior Program, a vital part of Penrite Racing’s driver development pathway, is designed to nurture the talents of emerging drivers and prepare them for future success at the highest levels of motorsport. Oscar’s journey with the Grove Junior Team has already seen impressive progress, and this new challenge will help him continue to build his experience in top-tier competition.

David Cauchi, Team Principal of Penrite Racing, commented, “We are thrilled that Oscar will be remaining within the Grove Junior Team for 2025. He has demonstrated consistent improvement and dedication, and this next step to Carrera Cup Australia is a testament to his hard work. We have no doubt he will continue to develop as a driver and move closer to achieving his long term goals.”

Moving into 2025, Targett’s car will race with an all new livery, as he welcomes new partners to the team as well as sporting many familiar brands who have supported him throughout his motorsport journey so far.

Round 1 of Porsche Carrera Cup Australia kicks off this weekend 21^st – 23^rd February at Sydney Motorsport Park under lights which is a first for a season opener. All sessions will be live across Fox Sports and Kayo with all competitive running being shown also on channel 7.

Champion locks in 2025 program, reveals #1 Porsche livery

Consistency key despite team change as Jones begins drive for three this year

Reigning and two-time Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Champion, Harri Jones, has revealed his striking new livery for the 2025 season, highlighting new partners, team colours, and race number.

After an incredibly successful 2024 season with Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport, Jones had planned to return for a second year with the team. However, the team’s sudden closure in January 2025 led to a monumental effort by Jones Motorsport to establish a fully race-ready Carrera Cup operation in under a month.

Thanks to key staff signings—including Jones’ 2024 Race Engineer David Swenson, along with the experienced Matt Cook, Matt Walton, and Jack Chaplin—Jones’ core team remains intact, ensuring continuity after an incredibly successful partnership in 2024.

“I’m thrilled to be back on the Carrera Cup grid for another championship challenge in 2025,” said Jones. “It’s been a whirlwind start to the year, and without the incredible support of my team and partners, none of this would be possible. What we’ve been able to achieve in such a short period is incredible. With the right people, infrastructure, and a commitment to performance, we’re ready to fight for the title this season.”

Despite the sudden pivot, Jones’ livery maintains continuity, with the 2025 Hastings Deering GT3 Cup car retaining elements of the popular 2024 design. As Jones enters his fourth season with Hastings Deering, he acknowledges the vital role the global CAT® dealer has played in his success.

“Over the past four years, my career has taken me into new environments, teams and championships, both locally and abroad,” Jones continued. “Through it all, one thing has remained constant—my partnership with Hastings Deering. Their unwavering support has been crucial to my success, allowing me to seize every opportunity that’s come my way.”

In addition to Hastings Deering, several major partners have joined Jones’ 2025 Carrera Cup campaign, including HydraPlay, Pure Mist, Code Black, and Kodora AI.

“I’m excited to welcome these fantastic new partners to the team,” said Jones. “From cutting-edge technology and AI innovators to emerging drinks companies, each partner has their unique story. Together, we share a common goal: to succeed on and off the track.”

With Jones also set to join Team18 for the Supercars endurance events this year, a full-time Carrera Cup seat will ensure he remains race-fit and ready for the enduro season later in the year.

“2025 is shaping up to be a massive year. There’s always an electric feeling leading up to the first event, and I can’t wait to get started,” said Jones.

Jones, who usually races with the number 12, will proudly race with the coveted number 1 for 2025, reserved for the reigning champion.

“Running the number 1 on my car is a fantastic opportunity. There’s something special about it, and I’d be silly not to take it,” said Jones.

The Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship kicks off with Round 1 at the Sydney Super Night this weekend. Be sure to catch all the action live at the track or on Kayo and Fox Sports 506.