Local race ace Adam Carroll brought his A1GP car to Belfast on Thursday, calling on the Northern Ireland public to get behind the team which is currently leading the series with just two races to go.

The competition sees every team from more than 20 countries given exactly the same car to race over a season.

It's based on the Formula 1 car used by Michael Schumacher when he won the world title in 2004.

Ferrari is backing the series and supplying the engines, which in itself provides a unique element to the competition.

The all-Ireland team is taking on motorsport giants from countries like Italy, Germany, France, USA and Australia, and beating them at their own game.

As petrol heads, young and old, flocked around Adam and his car outside the City Hall yesterday, asking for autographs and photos, he said he was ready to take on the mantle of best young driver in the world from the F1 superstar.

Hamilton himself said that Carroll is "the one driver who deserves a shot at F1".

Adam said: "I've raced against, and beaten, all the new drivers in F1, including Lewis.

"I'm ready to step up and there are negotiations going on, but first we are going to win this series.

"I'm ready to go up against Lewis and all the rest, and I know I can beat them."

At just 26, Carroll is already a race veteran, having been an F1 test driver for Honda.

He said he loved being back home to talk to local people interested in the sport, especially while being on top of the leader table.

"We really feel that we are going to win, we're confident and it just shows you what you can do."

Team rookie and test driver Niall Quinn, who is just 20-years-old and looks hardly old enough to have a licence, said: "The best part is beating the Italians with their own engine, it's an awesome car, developing around 600 horsepower and we are focused on victory."

Next stop is Brands Hatch on the May 2-3 weekend and a victory there will mean it's all up for grabs at the last race in Mexico City.

The two drivers say it is as close as they'll get to a home race and are counting on plenty of local support.