Source: A1 Grand Prix Press Office
It is a fantastic result for Adam Carroll in his debut season for the team, and particularly well timed as the win comes just one day before Ireland celebrates St Patrick's Day (17 March). The top three title contenders - Switzerland, New Zealand and France - all endured difficult afternoons and failed to score any points.
Twenty-five-year-old Adam Carroll, who topped the time sheets in free practice on Friday, started the race from fifth and leapt up the order to second behind Switzerland's Neel Jani after amazing work from the Irish team during the first compulsory pit stop on lap nine.
He held position until lap 34 when he pitted the emerald green car for the second time and rejoined the action as race leader after another sensational stop. The crowds roared as Carroll, who was making his 14th race appearance for Ireland, crossed the line first to take his and the team's first ever A1GP victory.
Great Britain's Oliver Jarvis put in a brilliant performance to race from fourth on the grid to finish second, notching up a double-podium on his final outing for the British team this season and picking up more valuable championship points. Jarvis also scored a bonus point for setting the fastest lap of the race and this weekend's points haul moves GBR up to fourth in the title table behind France.
USA's Jonathan Summerton, who scored his nation's best ever result at Mexico City last year when he finished second in the Feature race, was once again on superb form, charging through the field from seventh on the grid to finish third and take the final podium position ahead of the Netherlands' Jeroen Bleekemolen.
Pole-sitter Canada's Robert Wickens got a good start but lost the lead to Switzerland on lap six and fell down the order to third during the first round of pit stops.
By lap 31 Wickens was running in fifth place as GBR and USA managed to overtake the 19-year-old who had been battling with an over-heating car and clutch problem from lap one. The Canadian racer, who said this was the hardest race he has ever driven, went on to cross the line in fifth position.
Switzerland leaves Mexico on 128 points ahead of New Zealand on 113 and France, who failed to pick up any points this weekend, on 108. Eight nations, including today's Feature race winner Ireland, are still mathematically in with a chance of winning the championship as the thrilling series returns to China for the penultimate round in Shanghai on 11-13 April 2008.
Feature race results
POS DRIVER A1 TEAM LAPSTIMEGAP FIRST
1Adam CARROLLIRELAND 4707:47.858-
2Oliver JARVISGREAT BRITAIN 4707:51.213+3.355
3Jonathan SUMMERTONUSA 4707:51.962+4.104
4Jeroen BLEEKEMOLENNETHERLANDS 4708:01.511+13.653
5Robert WICKENSCANADA 4708:03.033+15.175
6Adrian ZAUGGSOUTH AFRICA 4708:04.053+16.195
7Filipe ALBUQUERQUEPORTUGAL 4708:04.400+16.542
8Bruno JUNQUEIRABRAZIL 4708:05.111+17.253
9Narain KARTHIKEYANINDIA 4708:14.362+26.504
10Congfu CHENGCHINA 4708:18.529+30.671
11Satrio HERMANTOINDONESIA 4708:23.394+35.536
12Jonny REIDNEW ZEALAND 4708:23.909 +36.051
13Jonathan COCHETFRANCE 4708:27.322+39.464
14David GARZAMEXICO 4708:36.940+49.082
15Alex YOONGMALAYSIA 4708:41.718+53.860
16Filip SALAQUARDACZECH REPUBLIC 4708:54.011+1:06.153
17Jimmy AUBYLEBANON 4709:12.629+1:24.771
18Adam KHANPAKISTAN 4606:50.9781 Lap
19Neel JANISWITZERLAND 4606:51.4611 Lap
20Michael AMMERMÜLLERGERMANY 4607:57.7741 Lap
21John MARTINAUSTRALIA 4608:12.2101 Lap
22Edoardo PISCOPOITALY 203:02.87045 Laps
It is a fantastic result for Adam Carroll in his debut season for the team, and particularly well timed as the win comes just one day before Ireland celebrates St Patrick's Day (17 March). The top three title contenders - Switzerland, New Zealand and France - all endured difficult afternoons and failed to score any points.
Twenty-five-year-old Adam Carroll, who topped the time sheets in free practice on Friday, started the race from fifth and leapt up the order to second behind Switzerland's Neel Jani after amazing work from the Irish team during the first compulsory pit stop on lap nine.
He held position until lap 34 when he pitted the emerald green car for the second time and rejoined the action as race leader after another sensational stop. The crowds roared as Carroll, who was making his 14th race appearance for Ireland, crossed the line first to take his and the team's first ever A1GP victory.
Great Britain's Oliver Jarvis put in a brilliant performance to race from fourth on the grid to finish second, notching up a double-podium on his final outing for the British team this season and picking up more valuable championship points. Jarvis also scored a bonus point for setting the fastest lap of the race and this weekend's points haul moves GBR up to fourth in the title table behind France.
USA's Jonathan Summerton, who scored his nation's best ever result at Mexico City last year when he finished second in the Feature race, was once again on superb form, charging through the field from seventh on the grid to finish third and take the final podium position ahead of the Netherlands' Jeroen Bleekemolen.
Pole-sitter Canada's Robert Wickens got a good start but lost the lead to Switzerland on lap six and fell down the order to third during the first round of pit stops.
By lap 31 Wickens was running in fifth place as GBR and USA managed to overtake the 19-year-old who had been battling with an over-heating car and clutch problem from lap one. The Canadian racer, who said this was the hardest race he has ever driven, went on to cross the line in fifth position.
Switzerland leaves Mexico on 128 points ahead of New Zealand on 113 and France, who failed to pick up any points this weekend, on 108. Eight nations, including today's Feature race winner Ireland, are still mathematically in with a chance of winning the championship as the thrilling series returns to China for the penultimate round in Shanghai on 11-13 April 2008.
Feature race results
POS DRIVER A1 TEAM LAPSTIMEGAP FIRST
1Adam CARROLLIRELAND 4707:47.858-
2Oliver JARVISGREAT BRITAIN 4707:51.213+3.355
3Jonathan SUMMERTONUSA 4707:51.962+4.104
4Jeroen BLEEKEMOLENNETHERLANDS 4708:01.511+13.653
5Robert WICKENSCANADA 4708:03.033+15.175
6Adrian ZAUGGSOUTH AFRICA 4708:04.053+16.195
7Filipe ALBUQUERQUEPORTUGAL 4708:04.400+16.542
8Bruno JUNQUEIRABRAZIL 4708:05.111+17.253
9Narain KARTHIKEYANINDIA 4708:14.362+26.504
10Congfu CHENGCHINA 4708:18.529+30.671
11Satrio HERMANTOINDONESIA 4708:23.394+35.536
12Jonny REIDNEW ZEALAND 4708:23.909 +36.051
13Jonathan COCHETFRANCE 4708:27.322+39.464
14David GARZAMEXICO 4708:36.940+49.082
15Alex YOONGMALAYSIA 4708:41.718+53.860
16Filip SALAQUARDACZECH REPUBLIC 4708:54.011+1:06.153
17Jimmy AUBYLEBANON 4709:12.629+1:24.771
18Adam KHANPAKISTAN 4606:50.9781 Lap
19Neel JANISWITZERLAND 4606:51.4611 Lap
20Michael AMMERMÜLLERGERMANY 4607:57.7741 Lap
21John MARTINAUSTRALIA 4608:12.2101 Lap
22Edoardo PISCOPOITALY 203:02.87045 Laps