Gunthensinter Grabs Victory by 0.004s in Brazilian Epic

Fisher’s Comeback Falls Inches Short in Crowd-Voted Classic

Formula One Esports fans voted—and the result delivered in spectacular fashion. This week’s Tier 1 World Championship round took us to the iconic Interlagos circuit for the Brazilian Grand Prix, and it turned into an instant classic. After 18 laps of strategic battles, overtakes, and controversy, Sebastian Gunthensinter claimed a dramatic victory—his first in three years—beating Matthew Fisher to the line by just 0.004 seconds.

Fisher on Pole, Chaos Behind

Championship leader Matthew Fisher lined up on pole, with Jos Van Hallen starting alongside him on the front row. Ferrari’s Bono Huis slotted into third, while Gunthensinter started a promising fourth. As the lights went out, it wasn’t Fisher but Gunthensinter who got the better launch. Meanwhile, further back, positions shuffled quickly—Van Hallen dropped back through the order, as did Gunthensinter, while Huis and Fisher began trading blows for the lead.

Fisher, determined to hold position, engaged in a fierce wheel-to-wheel scrap with Huis through the opening laps. By Lap 5, Van Hallen had worked his way back into the mix, making it a thrilling three-way fight for the lead.

Fisher Forced to the Grass, Stewards Stay Silent

The flashpoint came at the end of Lap 5. As Fisher attempted a bold move on Van Hallen, the Red Bull driver shut the door, forcing Fisher onto the grass and through an advertising board. "Check for front wing damage," Fisher asked over the radio. Mercedes responded: "Front wing looks good. Keep pushing."

To the surprise of many, the stewards declined to investigate the incident, citing Fisher's lack of lift-off as the reason. Tensions rose on track, and so did the action.

Fisher wasn’t done. He retook second from Van Hallen in the DRS zone on Lap 8 and immediately turned his sights back on the lead.

Pit Stop Pressure and a Near Disaster

Lap 9 saw Fisher make the undercut call, diving into the pits to switch from soft to medium tyres. But it nearly ended in disaster. A rear lock-up into the pit lane caused the Mercedes to slide sideways, coming within inches of the wall. He kept it out of the barriers and rejoined the race cleanly—ultimately regaining the lead once the pit cycle completed.

However, the tension was far from over.

Gunthensinter and Van Hallen Light Up the Midfield

While Fisher led, all eyes were on the resurgent Gunthensinter and Van Hallen, who were locked in a fierce midfield battle. The two swapped places multiple times, drawing the crowd’s attention and slowly reeling in Fisher, who was beginning to struggle with rear grip.

By Lap 17, Gunthensinter had caught the race leader. Using DRS down the main straight, the German swept past Fisher to take the lead. But Fisher wasn’t going down without a fight—he immediately launched a counterattack around the outside, momentarily reclaiming first place before a twitchy rear end saw him fall back again.

A Final Lap for the Ages

The final lap of the race saw Fisher glued to the back of Gunthensinter’s rear wing. He made his move into Turn 1, using DRS to pull alongside, but Gunthensinter held firm. Fisher tried again in Turn 3, but it was too late. The pair battled side-by-side all the way to the finish line, where Gunthensinter claimed victory by an eye-watering 0.004 seconds 

In the post-race interview, Fisher was calm but honest:
"I miscalculated the pace a little and used too much of my tyres early on. Still, hats off to Seb—he drove a great race."

Midfield Heroes and Close Fights

Behind them, Bono Huis and Brad Smith delivered a brilliant fight for sixth, with Smith edging ahead in the closing laps to take the position—his best result of the season so far.

The fans asked for drama, and Brazil delivered. With championship tensions heating up and teammates clashing in recent rounds, all eyes now turn to the next race—because if this is the standard, the rest of the season could be legendary.