Motor Sport A1Ralph Firman's fourth-place finish in the sprint race was poor consolation for A1 Team Ireland in a weekend in Dubai that held so much promise.

An electronic fault in the gearbox robbed Firman of second place in the sprint race, dropping him from second just a few corners from the chequered flag.

Switzerland's Neel Jarni scored his first A1 Grand Prix win, and as a result of Firman's misfortune, Enrico Toccacelo (Italy) and Tomas Enge (Czech Republic) inherited second and third places.

France's Nicilas Lapierre was only seventh but Britain's Robbie Kerr spun out of contention.

Firman's gearbox acted up at the start of the Dubai A1 Grand Prix des Nations, and from fourth on the grid he eventually retired on lap seven.

France were back in the victory lane once again, Lapierre overtaking Kerr in the closing laps. Tengyi Jiang was a historical fifth, the highest finish by a Chinese driver in an international motor race.