A1GP World Cup of Motorsport celebrated the end of its 2007/08 season with a glittering Gala Awards dinner at the Hilton Park Lane in London on Monday 5 May. Teams, drivers, sponsors and officials gathered to pay tribute to the memorable achievements of the season, including Switzerland clinching the championship, Ireland being the most improved team and Canada's Robert Wickens claiming the Rookie prize.
The award for the Most Improved A1 Team of 2007/08 went to Ireland. Adam Carroll ended his nation's run of 38 races without a podium finish when he took third in the Brno Sprint race - remarkably on his A1GP debut. Carroll went on to score his and the team's first Feature race win in Mexico City in March and has notched up an impressive four podium finishes during his debut A1GP season.
Ireland's success continued as it was also named the Best Presented A1 Team of the series for the third consecutive year.
An emotional Mark Gallagher, Team Principal of A1 Team Ireland, said:
'This time last year we won the award for being the best presented team and having the best livery and I said that instead of being all show and no go I'd prefer to be the most improved team in a year's time and we've now achieved that. This year I don't even have to decide which I'd prefer us to win as we now have both! That's completely down to Dave O'Neill (team manager) and the boys in the team, to Adam Carroll, Ralph Firman, Niall Quinn and the fantastic support we've had from all our sponsors. The victory in Mexico was a major turning point and the way in which the team has finished the season has made all the efforts over the last three years worthwhile. It has renewed our belief that the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport really does offer every country in the world the chance to enjoy success at the very highest level.'