New Zealand pip Great Britain foe A1GP second place

Great Britain gave the massed ranks at Brands Hatch almost the perfect weekend with a win and a second place - but still missed out on the runners-up spot in the championship at the last A1GP round of the season.

Ireland's Richard Lyons came 13th with a time of 1:11:54.611.

British driver Robbie Kerr, who had taken pole position on Saturday, converted that into a comfortable win in the earlier 15-lap sprint race.

And with New Zealand, their rivals and overwhelming pre-race favourites for second behind champions Germany, finishing out of the points, the stage was set going into the longer feature event.

But after a sluggish getaway, a determined Kerr could not vault the series' dominant driver in Germany's Nico Hulkenberg, who withstood tremendous pressure to win his ninth race of a superb personal season.

And with New Zealand coming home eighth, they ensured that Britain, who have come on strong in the second half of the campaign, were pipped by a single point.

After Kerr's cakewalk in the sprint race, where he beat Hulkenberg into second, the onus was on him to deliver another win and hope the Kiwis continued to falter.

But he made a poor start, which allowed Hulkenberg to jump him going down into the first corner.

The safety car took to the track following a start line shunt involving Australia, South Africa and the Czech Republic.

When racing resumed, the young German, who this season set new records for wins in the series' short history, showed his nerve and poise under pressure as Kerr put to good use his considerable experience of the flowing Kent track.

Kerr harassed Hulkenberg from the moment he fell behind and the race became a shoot-out between the pair, who had swiftly dropped the chasing pack.

A number of times Kerr's wheels flicked onto the grass as he pushed hard to put his rival under pressure, but the status quo remained until the pit stops.

Germany pitted first, giving Britain the chance to get the hammer down with the benefit of a clear track before stopping themselves a lap later.

It was not enough, however, as Hulkenberg nipped in front at the first corner as Kerr accelerated out of the pit lane.

The pursuit continued and, mid-race, backmarkers appeared to give Kerr a chance to pass.

He dived up the inside of Hulkenberg going into Westfield corner, but the momentum of the move took him wide and the German was back through.

It was the last chance the otherwise immaculate Hulkenberg would present his opponent and he took the chequered flag just over half a second ahead.

Italy's Enrico Toccacelo saw off a charge from Indian Narain Karthikeyan to finish third by a matter of a tenth of a second, with Jeroen Bleekemolen fifth for Holland and the USA's Jonathan Summerton sixth.

France's winless season as outgoing champions ended in a distant seventh - and fourth in the championship - for Loic Duval, while Matt Halliday's priceless three points were enough for New Zealand to hang onto second in the standings.

Malaysia's Alex Yoong and Congfu Cheng, of China, rounded out the top 10.