Experienced racer Liam Talbot will this season return to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia ranks with Wall Racing.
The Queenslander won the Pro-Am competition in 2019 but has been largely absent from motorsport throughout the global pandemic.
Following an outing at Mount Panorama in late 2021, Talbot is keen to return to the driver’s seat.
“It’s exciting to return to Wall Racing, I’ve got many happy memories and we’ve had great success together,” he told Speedcafe.com of his impending return.
“It’s nice having the honesty with David [Wall, team owner]; if I ask him a question about something, he gives me the answer, and we work together to try and find the best set-ups.
“There’s obviously great people behind the scenes as well, so I’m just excited to return to a championship-winning team in 2022.”
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Carrera Cup Australia this season witnesses the introduction of the latest Porsche Cup Car, the 992.
All 30 examples set to be imported into the country are understood to have been accounted for, with teams to get their first taste of the new machinery next week in Sydney.
“There’s a day and a half of testing, so it’s the handover of the 30 cars, and then we’ll probably test again soon afterwards,” Talbot said of his plans to familiarise himself with the latest model Porsche.
“I think it’s very valuable to get the information with a new car and be ready to race.”
Talbot has enjoyed success at the wheel of Porsches beyond the 2019 Pro-Am title, having won races driving a Porsche 911 GT3 R in the Australian GT and Australian Endurance Championships.
He spent last season campaigning in the Asian Le Mans Series, but is now looking forward to a full season of competition on home soil.
“Doing Bathurst last year in December made me want to think, ‘do I want to race again?’,” he said.
“The answer is yes. It’s been nice having a break, but just excited to get racing.
“For me, I want to be in a championship, and contend for the championship, and Carrera Cup is the best run category.
“It’s exciting, you go to good tracks, and everything’s run really well.”
This year’s schedule kicks off at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in April, before heading to Darwin, Townsville, and The Bend.
The South Australian venue has been a happy hunting ground for Talbot, winning in GT cars while proving a standout performer when Carrera Cup visited the location in 2019.
“Last time I was there I qualified, I think, fourth outright, or fifth outright,” he recounted.
“The first race I finished third outright – I was first outright for one corner, unfortunately didn’t all work out, but obviously go pretty well.
“The Gold Coast was new to me in 2019,” he added.
“It’s a wild track and a Cup Car, just getting the air over the kerb; being in the cabin and physically seeing the whole world change as you go over the kerb, and then change the other way, and just going ‘how much more can I push?’ is a really cool feeling.
“So excited to be back racing, fingers crossed with the pandemic we get a full championship without too much interruption and everyone’s safe.”
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