Mike Carroll has been appointed General Manager both of A1 Team South Africa and the company responsible for the promotion and organisation of the A1GP, Durban, South Africa race event. Carroll has been in charge of technical and sporting matters at A1 Team South Africa since the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport launched in 2005.

Carroll's appointment comes after former CEO, Ms Dana Cooper, chose to step aside. Cooper steered the management of the South African team and event throughout the first two seasons of this unique series, which pits nation against nation in identical cars.

Carroll said: "With the third season of A1GP due to start at Zandvoort in the Netherlands on 30 September, and South Africa again set to be on the event calendar, there is much to look forward to. I am delighted to have been given this role and opportunity.

"Thanks to the foresight of our chairman and seat holder Tokyo Sexwale, South Africa was one of the first countries to commit to the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport.

"We can't wait for the new season to start and we are gearing up to once again take on the world at the A1GP, Zandvoort, Netherlands.

"RAB Capital has been very vocal that A1GP is alive and well and that it is here to stay."

RAB Capital, the London-based investment management company, became the majority shareholder of A1GP in December 2006.

RAB Capital chief executive Phillip Richards has been quick to publicly support the series. He said: "This series is here to stay. Everyone needs to know that: our future sponsors, team owners, drivers and, especially, our fans.

"As long as we go on providing excellence and excitement, then the fan base will continue to grow; more and more national sponsors will come through and we'll have a successful series."