O’KEEFFE CONFIRMS CARRERA CUP RETURN

Dylan O’Keeffe will compete full-time in two national categories this season, adding the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship to his commitments alongside the TCR Australia Series.

The 24-year-old joins Sydney-based GWR Australia squad aboard the RAM Motorsport entry in Carrera Cup, returning to the premier one-make series for the first time since 2018.

O’Keeffe competed in Carrera Cup from 2016-2018, scoring race and round victories on his way to finishing third in 2018.

Joining a packed field in 2022, O’Keeffe was confident that he could figure at the front of the field aboard Porsche’s latest 992 generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.

“GWR Australia has evolved into one of Australia’s largest and most successful racing operations,” O’Keeffe said.

“Garth (Walden) and his team have created an environment that is competitive and highly-professional, while at the same time being fun and enjoyable.”

“During my last season in Carrera Cup in 2018, we were in contention for the title all season, but there were probably a few occasions where I was maybe a little too conservative when I was in wheel-to-wheel combat with other cars,” O’Keeffe said.

“Since then, I’ve gained a lot more experience in categories like the Super2 Series, TCR Australia and my appearance in the WTCR World Touring Car Cup, where the opposition is cut-throat.

“I’m expecting the field in this year’s Carrera Cup championship to be competitive, but I won’t be afraid to get my elbows out in the heat of battle.”

O’Keeffe has completed a two-day test at The Bend Motorsport Park this week, with the first round of the season scheduled for April at the Australian Grand Prix.

It was a successful venture, allowing the driver to familiarise himself with the new machinery as well as engineer Dejan Ninic, who guided Cameron Hill to the title last year.

“Dejan and I have been friends for a while, and his engineering credentials are second-to-none as demonstrated by what he achieved with Cameron last year,” O’Keeffe said.

“We’re already working really well together, and the two-day test gave us a valuable insight into the 992 Cup car and how it responds to setup changes.

“The fact we’re all racing a new car will create a level playing field for everyone, which is why the pre-season testing is so important; we need to thoroughly understand the car so we can hit the ground running at the first round.”

The 2022 Carrera Cup Championship kicks off at the Australian Grand Prix from April 7-10.

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