PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia vice-champion Jackson Walls will continue his big year of Porsche racing, contesting the remainder of the 2023-24 Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East Championship with Lechner Racing.

Walls will contest the remaining five rounds of the series driving an Objective Racing-supported Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car for the famous European squad, one that was home to Walls’ former Australian teammate Harri Jones this year.

It was through Jones’ that the link to Lechner – who also promote the Middle East Series – came about.

Walls’ finished a close runner-up in the Carrera Cup championship, his best result yet in one-make Porsche racing.

The championship started in Bahrain in early November and continues this weekend at the same circuit.

From there, it shifts to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in January prior to joining the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship back in Bahrain – before finishing at the Jeddah Street Circuit alongside the Saudi Grand Prix.

“It’s a cool opportunity that has come along,” Walls said.

“I’m excited and can’t wait to get started with everyone and meet people I’ve been talking on the phone to for the last month or two now.

“This all came about at Bathurst after speaking with Harri (Jones) and he mentioned how it really benefited him as preparation for Porsche Supercup and Carrera Cup Germany. I got an introduction and from there we decided we were going to do it.”

Walls said the opportunity to work with a squad like Lechner Racing – who have 15 one-make Porsche drivers’ titles to their credit – was one he couldn’t pass up.

“I’ve got so much to learn still and racing with a team like Lechner, who have won so many drivers, teams and rookie championships as they have done – it’s just going to be so good to take in and the take out anything I can into whatever else I do in the future, particularly in the next year or so. I’m just going to soak it all in.

“For me, It’s the mileage, the laps and all these things to keep me as sharp as possible when people wouldn’t usually be racing.

“Thanks to my Dad (former Carrera Cup racer, Tony) for letting me do this and giving me the opportunity, I’m super fortunate for that and forever grateful. We’re still working on a few things for 2024 but this is a good start.”

Walls’ Lechner-run Porsche will sport the same Objective branding it does in Australia, though with a twist.

For the first time in the history of the brand, it will be represented on a car in a colour other than black.

“The livery is different and it’s the first time ever it hasn’t been a mainly black car or go-kart!” Walls explained.

“It came about in a funny way; I sent them the render of our current car and they sent us back a few different ones as suggestions – We went the grey option. It’s something different, hopefully will look cool and perhaps not as hot as the black car!”

Walls’ Middle East campaign kicks off this weekend with practice, qualifying and two races.

Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East evolved from the Sprint Challenge series in the same region and is promoted by Robert Lechner. It is the 12^th Porsche Carrera Cup Championship globally and came after fifteen years of Sprint Challenge competition in the region.