Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia star Jackson Walls has confirmed he will contest the 2023-24 Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East Championship, with his first round to be this weekend.

While the regional championship is already underway having held the first round in Bahrain earlier this month, Walls will link up with esteemed Austrian outfit Lechner Racing to tackle the remaining five rounds.

Joining the same 15-time champion team fellow Carrera Cup star Harri Jones raced with this year, the New South Welshman will be behind the wheel of an Objective Racing-backed Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car for the season.

With Bahrain to host another round this weekend, the championship will resume in January with rounds in Dubai and Abu Dhabi before the final two rounds of the season are run as Formula 1 support categories in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

“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.”

Although Walls enjoyed a stellar season in Australia, finishing second on the championship standings, the 20-year-old was looking forward to the opportunity of racing with Lechner Racing.

“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.”

Round two of the Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East Championship takes place at Bahrain International Circuit on 15-17 December.