The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship will race in New Zealand for the first time in 2024.
- Taupo joins the calendar for Trans-Tasman Carrera Cup Race
- Builds on strong legacy of New Zealanders in Porsche competition
- Strong Kiwi contingent expected to be competing for wins next year
Porsche Motorsport Australia has announced the top single-make series will follow the Repco Supercars Championship across the Tasman and join the ITM Taupo Super400 program on 19-21 April next year. It will be just the second time that the championship will have competed outside of Australia. The announcement shows Australia’s support towards the rising contingent of successful young Kiwi motorsport drivers who are interested in the series.
Porsche Carrera Cup Australia has a remarkable New Zealand heritage dating back to the inaugural champion, with 10 different New Zealanders having won 152 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia races since the series’ formation in 2003.
Team Porsche New Zealand (TPNZ) has been competing with Earl Bamber Motorsport in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia (PCCA) since 2021, providing scholarship opportunities for young Kiwi motorsport stars to climb the Porsche pyramid in Australia. Matthew Payne was the first to compete for TPNZ in 2021, launching the team’s entry into the Australian Porsche racing scene. Payne finished 6th in his debut season and his performance had him noticed to kickstart his Supercars career. Callum Hedge is currently in contention to claim the 2024 title at the upcoming season finale in Adelaide next weekend from 24-26 November. Hedge has already secured the top junior position for the year which earned him the seat to represent the PCCA in the global Porsche shootout, being held in Portugal this weekend.
Team Porsche New Zealand and Earl Bamber Motorsport have recently claimed the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge 2023 championship, with Marco Giltrap dominating the season. Both TPNZ Sprint Challenge drivers Marco Giltrap and Zac Stichbury have already been announced to step into Carrera Cup next year.
The Taupo Circuit will be the 18th to host a round of the championship and only the second outside of Australia, following the visit to the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia in 2017. New Zealand will be the second stop on the full 2024 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship calendar, with the full schedule to be released in due course.
Greg Clarke, General Manager, Porsche New Zealand
“We are very pleased to welcome Porsche Carrera Cup Australia to Taupo next year as this will be the first time the Australian single-make series has crossed the Tasman. We have been running Team Porsche Zealand in Carrera Cup Australia since 2021 and have seen some incredible success supporting young Kiwis to kickstart their career in Australia.”
“Kiwi motorsport fans will be able to support our Team Porsche New Zealand drivers Marco Giltrap and Zac Stichbury on the track as they compete in the series for the first time next year. Both drivers saw great success this year in Sprint Challenge, with Marco also taking out the championship title, so we expect them to provide good contention for the Australian competitors in next year’s season.”
Barry Hay, Motorsport Manager, Porsche Cars Australia
“Returning to an overseas venue has been on the agenda for the championship for some time, but it needed to be the right venue, the right time and the right place. This ticks all of those boxes and so much more and we’re proud to be taking one-make Porsche racing back to New Zealand in 2024.
“Carrera Cup has such incredible Kiwi heritage and DNA and while we are Carrera Cup Australia, we are fiercely proud to represent New Zealand as well – as witnessed with the teams and drivers who come from across the Tasman to race with us.”
“The Kiwi fans will have plenty of local to cheer for in our field next year and I am sure they are all relishing the chance to watch another Kiwi sporting star beat up on the Aussies in New Zealand!”
