Carroll Hits Financial Trouble

Carroll, who recently signed a long term agreement with BAR to join their test driver line-up after being a member of its Young Driver Programme, acknowledged that funding has tightened after a sponsorship deal fell through.

"It's always been the same for me," the Ulsterman noted today. "I've always gone race by race, and not known what will happen at the next one. At the start of the year it was okay because I had a little bit of money coming in, but that soon dried up.

"We really thought that we were going to have some sponsorship or investment coming in, but that hasn't happened now because they pulled out. Hopefully we can find something, or do a deal with David for the rest of the year, but really if he wanted me out he could have me out right now."

When asked if he was working on securing an alternative deal, Carroll stated: "Yeah, but it's only Joe [Sweeney, Carroll's manager] who's believed in me and put money into me.

"We just don't have this type of money, and we've never had this type of money, which is why we have always run on a shoestring, because I've never actually had sponsorship - literally never.

"It's always come down to him, and you just can't do that at this level because it's big bucks here - I don't want to make a big sob story out of it, but unfortunately that's just the way it is."

While he is extremely grateful for the help that BAR have given him so far in his career, Carroll accepted that the team is unable to assist him financially: "No, no - it doesn't work like that - if we get through the year the situation will be better, but they can't pay for me here.

"But we honestly thought that we were going to get some money this year - we were working on things from the start of the year, and we thought that it was going to come through by the start of the month, and it didn't.

"So there you go, and now I'm in the shit! Like I said, if David has to put me out because of money then that's it, but hopefully something will be sorted out."