GP2 race winner and A1GP champion Carroll targets Formula E drive

The 33-year-old, a race winner in GP2 and the 2008/09 A1 Grand Prix champion, was in Argentina with Mahindra in case Nick Heidfeld was unable to participate.

Carroll told Autosport he saw a future in the series, but only in the right circumstances.

"I've spoken to teams right from the start, but I need to be paid - that's how I earn my living," he explained.

"It's a proper world championship, with a very exciting concept. As a professional driver I don't see how you can't be interested in it.

"Of course this is where I want to be."

Carroll tested with Mahindra in the summer and could have joined the team for the current campaign, before it opted to retain Bruno Senna.

"The test was good, I was very happy with how I did, it just didn't come together," he said.

The GT ace also had a seat-fit at the DS Virgin Racing team on Saturday morning, joining Jose Maria Lopez as a possible last-minute replacement for the ill Jean-Eric Vergne.

Carroll's main focus in recent seasons has been dovetailing frontrunning Blancpain Endurance Series, European Le Mans Series and British GT campaigns with driver coaching.

He last raced a single-seater in 2011, when he scored a podium in a Formula Renault 3.5 one-off and won races for Adrian Campos's team - which helps run the Mahindra Formula E effort - in a bit-part Auto GP campaign.

With Gulf Racing, he will move into the World Endurance Championship's GTE Am class this year.