Huis Holds Off Fisher in Imola Epic as Title Rivals Clash Early

Bono Huis claimed his second victory of the season at a rain-affected Imola Grand Prix, fending off a relentless Matthew Fisher in a tense battle that went down to the final corner. The race was packed with drama from lights out to the flag, with championship leader Fisher and rival Jos Van Hallen clashing early and opening the door for Huis to capitalise.

Qualifying: Dutch Front Row as Fisher Shadows in Third

Van Hallen delivered a clinical lap in qualifying to take pole position, edging out Huis by just a tenth. Fisher lined up third, joined on the second row by Ireland’s Shane Murphy, while Alain Dupont started a strong seventh and Sebastian Gunthensinter was also in the mix, though his race would unravel early.

Lights Out: Early Drama in the Title Fight

At the start, it was Fisher and Van Hallen who got away best. Fisher surged into the lead at Turn 1, but Van Hallen wasn’t backing off. The Red Bull driver pushed Fisher wide into the gravel at Turn 2, causing the Mercedes to lose momentum but hold second place. Behind them, Dupont made a lightning start, gaining three places, while Gunthensinter had a nightmare launch, dropping four spots from P7.

Fisher regrouped and attacked again on Lap 2, only for Van Hallen to cover it off. But on Lap 3, with DRS down the main straight, Fisher tried again—only to be pushed onto the grass, unsettling his car and costing them both time. That opened the door for Huis, who swept past to take the lead.

Moments later, Fisher and Van Hallen made contact again, resulting in front wing damage for Van Hallen and sidepod damage for Fisher. Despite the car’s condition, Fisher reclaimed the lead later that lap, showing impressive pace.

Changing Conditions, Strategy Shifts

The battle continued through Laps 4 and 5, with Huis regaining the lead, only for Fisher to go around the outside at Turn 1 and take it back on Lap 5. As the rain began to fall by Lap 9, teams were forced into tough tyre strategy decisions. By Lap 11, the entire field had switched to intermediates.

Fisher briefly rejoined in P5 after his stop but quickly climbed back to second as the leaders pitted, setting up another showdown with Huis for the win.

Final Laps: Just Out of Reach

The final phase of the race became a two-horse battle between Fisher and Huis. The Mercedes driver was visibly quicker in Sectors 1 and 2 but couldn’t find a clear way through. Lap after lap, he tried every trick in the book — DRS lunges, cutbacks, even pressure into braking zones — but Huis held firm.

On the final lap, Fisher lined up one last attempt out of the final corner. He deployed every ounce of battery and traction he had left, but it wasn’t enough — he crossed the line just 0.063 seconds behind Huis in a stunning finish.

Midfield Fights: Positions Swapped in the Spray

While the front two stole the spotlight, the midfield was just as lively:

• Edgar Schneider put in his best performance of the season to finish third, holding off Shane Murphy, who had earlier dropped back during the change to inters.
  
  

• John Williams quietly executed a strong drive to take P5, ahead of Dupont, who slipped back after his early gains but still secured solid points in sixth.
  
  

• Jos Van Hallen, despite damage, fought his way back to P7, limiting the damage to his championship.
  
  

• Llewellyn Rees and Jeremy Hawkings were engaged in a constant DRS battle, finishing P8 and P9 respectively.
  
  

• Andreas Bauer rounded out the points in P10, fending off pressure from a recovering Gunthensinter.
  
  

What It Means

Huis’s win vaults him to just a single point behind Gunthensinter in the standings, while Fisher extends his lead thanks to Van Hallen’s compromised result. The title fight now has three serious contenders—and with more rain-affected races ahead, anything could happen.