Victory in the final GP2 race clinched Timo Glock the championship crown for the Carlton Rode-based iSport International team.It was a tense time for the local squad as Glock only had a two-point lead over title rival Lucas di Grassi before the final races at Valencia in Spain.

Victory in the final GP2 race clinched Timo Glock the championship crown for the Carlton Rode-based iSport International team.

It was a tense time for the local squad as Glock only had a two-point lead over title rival Lucas di Grassi before the final races at Valencia in Spain.

It didn't help when the grid formed up for race one on a wet but fast-drying track.

Glock took a conservative approach and opted for wet rubber while many with nothing to lose fitted dry tyres.

It soon became apparent that dry tyres were quicker, with di Grassi making an early change, but soon after he slid off the road, handing the advantage to Glock. Glock then exchanged his tyres and fought back up the field to finally finish in seventh place and two valuable points.

Starting race two from the front row, Glock now looked a firm favourite to seal the title and he roared off into an immediate lead, which he controlled to the finish.

"I'm just so happy" declared Glock having stepped out of his winning car after punching the air in delight as he crossed the finishing line.

"We have also won the team championship as well so that's just a perfect feeling."

The final race didn't go nearly as well for the Griston-based Super Nova team. Lead driver Luca Filippi finished in a credible sixth place in race two, having started from 18th, after retiring out of the first when the fuel pump packed up.

Mike Conway ended up ninth, and out of the points, which dropped the team down to fourth place in the team championship.

Ralph Firman gave Team Ireland a solid start to their A1 GP season in the opening races at Zandvoort, Holland. The Attleborough racer had qualified the Irish car in seventh place for the first race and sixth for the longer feature race in track conditions, which were quite difficult.

"We've given ourselves a chance to get some good results in both races. The team did a terrific a job and we can hopefully aim for a podium," said Firman.

In the opening race Firman pushed hard but lost a position to the flying Oliver Jarvis in the Team Great Britain car to end up eighth.

In the early running of race two the local racer dropped to ninth place but two slick pit stops saw Firman back in his starting position of sixth at the finish.

"I really enjoyed the weekend," said Firman afterwards. "Having been away from single seater racing for over a year I'm proud to have scored the same number of championship points in the opening races as the team did in the whole of last season."