Team Ireland to attend Powered by Ferrari car launch

Team Ireland to attend launch of A1GP Powered by Ferrari car

Dublin; Representatives of Belmayne A1 Team Ireland including season three race-winner Adam Carroll will tomorrow attend the first public unveiling of the new A1GP Powered by Ferrari car which the team will use to mount its challenge in season four of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport. The launch will be held at Italy's Mugello circuit which will host the opening round of the series on 19 -21 September this year, and comes a day after the series announced that Michelin has entered a three year agreement to become the Official Tyre Supplier.

With the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport just two months away, Team Ireland is set to take delivery of its own A1GP Powered by Ferrari car in the coming days, and is busy finalising plans for the new 11-race season, spanning five continents, which will once again see the Irish squad compete against over 20 other nations. Following a successful season three during which the team secured its first Feature Race victory in Mexico, scored four podium finishes and 13 top ten placings, Team Ireland is aiming for further wins in season four in its bid to win the coveted World Cup of Motorsport title.

The team has yet to announce its driver line-up for season four, but Adam Carroll is clearly among the favourites to lead the squad, the 25 year old from Portadown in Northern Ireland having thoroughly enjoyed his first season in the category. The five times GP2 race winner and former Honda Racing F1 Team test driver was joined in the team last season by ex-Jordan F1 driver and 2007 Japanese Super GT Champion Ralph Firman, who raced for Belmayne A1 Team Ireland in Holland, as well as by Rookie Driver Niall Quinn, winner of the 2007 Motorsport Ireland Dunlop Young Racing Driver of the Year Award.

"Our visit to Mugello tomorrow marks the formal start of our preparations for the new season, although to be honest we have never stopped working since Brands Hatch in May," admitted Team Principal Mark Gallagher. "We are looking forward to seeing the new A1GP Powered by Ferrari car, meeting the new technical partners involved in the series and seeing some of our rivals with whom we will be battling again next season."

"After three seasons the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport has certainly established its credentials in world motor sport, and in the case of Team Ireland we are very much looking forward to the new season; with the new car, Ferrari and Michelin's involvement, some exciting developments with the race calendar and also new competitors including the Korean team, season four will mark yet another major step forward for the series."

-credit: ireland