Record grid for Carrera Cup opener

A bumper 31-car grid will take to Albert Park for the 2022 Porsche Carrera Cup season opener.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia returns in 2022 alongside the Repco Supercars Championship.

The new season also features the debut of the brand-new Type 992 GT3 car.

This weekend’s event will set a record for the largest ever launch field for a Carrera Cup series in Australia.

The 31-car field usurps the 26-car fields that raced at Phillip Island in 2003 and Adelaide in 2018.

The championship will remain in Victoria with a round at Winton, followed by rounds in Darwin, Townsville and Tailem Bend.

The season will conclude with marquee appearances at Mount Panorama and Surfers Paradise.

The 2022 season will be without reigning champion Cameron Hill, who has shifted to Super2, as well as Cooper Murray.

However, five drivers will make their Carrera Cup debut at Albert Park, with several key names also returning.

Super2 racer Angelo Mouzouris will debut, along with Brad Shiels, Ryan Suhle, Bayley Hall and Matt Belford.

The likes of Liam Talbot, Dylan O’Keeffe, Rodney Jane and Tony Quinn will also return.

The new cars will first hit the track on Thursday at 11:45am AEST for Practice 1.

The first race will commence at 11:00am on Friday, prior to Race 6 of the 2022 Supercars season.

2022 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia calendar