A1 Team Ireland World Cup of Motorsport Series leader Adam Carroll touched down on his native Irish soil for a quick pit stop at Dublin City Centre’s Mansion House with his team and racing car to rev up some Irish support for his title dreams.
The Irish race-ace is the current leader of the A1GP Series and is on the brink of becoming an Irish World Champion within the next month.
Adam has been stealing headlines for the past year with his outstanding performances in the A1GP series. This has even prompted man of the moment and current world champion Lewis Hamilton to say that Carroll is the “one driver who deserves a shot at F1.”
Hamilton may have to watch out as Carroll has his sights set firmly on taking the F1 crown – the pinnacle of motorsport – within the next few years: “While I am completely focused on winning the World Cup of Motorsport for Ireland, I am actively looking at opportunities in F1 and the Indy Racing League, although if I am successful in winning the A1GP title, I would like to return and defend it,” enthuses Adam Carroll.
“There are some exciting developments for F1 next season with the potential for 2-3 new teams so I am keeping a close eye on that and I am in discussions with one of the new entrants. Regarding the Indy Racing League, I was in Long Beach last weekend and met with some of the major teams about competing in the series in the future, including The Indy 500 which remains one of the greatest races in the world.”
Adam is no stranger to life in the fastlane, travelling the world with his career in motorsport and supported by long term girlfriend and childhood sweetheart Claire Simmons from his native Portadown.
But he has revealed that any success he enjoys is down to Santa Claus: “My passion for motorsport began when Santa brought me a go-cart when I was four! Since then I’ve spent my life focusing on becoming a world champion and I won’t give up until I get my dream.”
Adam currently leads the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport by two points under the adjusted score rule and will take a massive step closer to clinching the title at Brands Hatch in England (the closest round to Ireland) on May 3.
He may well be handsome and charismatic but this boy wonder is far from your typical celebrity sports star in the making!
“A1GP is my starting block for big things- I have my sights and options open. It’s not all about life in the fast lane though and it’s not as glamorous as many people think!”
He adds: “You have to be physically and mentally fit to compete at this level and it’s all about dedication, hard work and training. But it’s also important for me to spend time with Claire and my family and friends whenever I can squeeze them into a pretty hectic schedule.”
With racing running through his veins, the only way is up and Adam is focusing on his championship dream and if he succeeds he will be the first man from Ireland to ever win the title.
A1 Team Ireland chief Mark Gallagher also believes that Adam has the natural talent to become one of the great names in world motorsport: “I’ve spent a lifetime in the pit lane working alongside the likes of Schumacher, Damon Hill, Rubens Barrichello, Jenson Button and Eddie Irvine. Adam is fresh, young and will go all the way to the top – he’s a natural born racer with a God given talent that is perhaps the most impressive I’ve ever worked with.”
So with potential top honours only a matter of days away it seems that for all involved with the Irish A1 dream-team just about everything is looking slick on the fast-track to success.
Adam Carroll
Age: 26
Born: Portadown, Co. Armagh
Position: Currently leads the A1GP series by two points, five-times winner in GP2 (feeder series to F1) and official Honda F1 test driver.
Background: Karting from age 11