Analysis: F1 hopefuls catch the eye in GP2

"Maybe I could nick his wallet," joked the Northern Irish driver, who competes in the GP2 series one rung down from Formula One.

Carroll's Spanish-based Racing Engineering team are owned and run by the energetic Alfonso de Orleans-Borbon y Ferrara-Pignatelli, seventh Duke of Galliera and a relative of King Juan Carlos.

Royal visits aside, there is little glamour and even less money in Carroll's world as he strives to make the leap to the Grand Prix paddock so close but still so far away, behind a wire-mesh fence.

The series is closely watched by Formula One's main men, with last year's champion Nico Rosberg now impressing at Williams and Finnish runner-up Heikki Kovalainen tipped as a possible replacement for world champion Fernando Alonso at Renault.

Like Formula One, GP2 is also a world of 'haves' and 'have-nots' and last weekend's races at the Nurburgring only highlighted the divide.

With Grand Prix regulars Jenson Button and David Coulthard failing to finish, British newspapers hailed a new hero in McLaren protege Lewis Hamilton.

The 21-year-old, one of the 'haves', won both his GP2 races with his success fuelling speculation that he could be in the frame for a McLaren drive next season.

"It's not impossible, as you can see Nico's doing a very good job," said McLaren team boss Ron Dennis when asked about the chances of a novice coming straight in.

"But it's far too early to be talking about these sorts of things and of course we have a very clear objective which is to end up with the best available drivers.

"(Mercedes motorsport head) Norbert (Haug) and I have invested a lot of time and money in him and it's nice to see that he's responded to the challenge and he's doing his bit in the relationship."

Hamilton will undoubtedly graduate to Formula One, probably sooner rather than later. He has that aura about him already.

Carroll, who finished third in race one at the Nurburgring, cannot be so sure.

The McLaren/Autosport young driver of the year in 2002, and part of Honda's young driver programme with occasional F1 testing thrown in, has made it thus far on talent and determination alone.

How much further it can take him remains to be seen in a sport that can be hard to crack even with substantial backing. Nelson Piquet junior, son of Brazil's triple champion, is in his second year in GP2.

There are few seats open to young rookies and most involve some sort of funding by the driver, unless he is part of a programme with a team like Red Bull.

Winner of three GP2 races, including Monaco, in 2005, Carroll can cite ringing endorsements from the likes of compatriot Eddie Irvine and Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

But that is not enough. Carroll, 23, needs to be winning just to keep the momentum going.

Racing Engineering are well sponsored but Carroll's drive is still costing 200,000 euros ($254,400) this year and even that is a fraction of the going rate.

"It's 1.2 to 1.4 million euros on a full budget and a cheap drive is 500-600,000," said Carroll. Accidents cost extra.

"My shunt in Valencia (the season-opener) has hurt us big time, that's basically cost more than half the season," he added with a shrug.

"The insurance pays for a certain amount and whatever's left over...is huge. Last year I didn't crash once, I bent one wishbone at Monaco and I still won the race so that was okay. But it could be 120,000 euros a crash."

Most of the bills have been picked up by Dublin-based waste recycling entrepreneur and former long-distance truck driver John Sweeney, who has backed the Portadown youngster since 2000.

"It has always come down to just John and we've always done it on an absolute shoestring and the money hasn't always been there," said Carroll of his career.

Hamilton, he recognises, has everything going for him but he too is keeping his spirits up.

"If I don't get into Formula One this year, then I don't think I ever will," he mused. "We deserve a chance really, to be honest, just because of the effort and what we've had to do to get here."