Three-Way Thriller Under the Lights 

The Marina Bay circuit was drenched in anticipation as Jos Van Hallen claimed pole position ahead of Bono Huis, with Sebastian Gunthenstiner and Shane Murphey forming an all-star second row. However, it was championship leader Matthew Fisher, starting a lowly P7 after brushing the wall in qualifying, who set the night alight.

From the moment the lights went out, Fisher launched a blistering getaway, jumping four cars and storming up to P3 by the second sector of Lap 1. With a perfect switchback at Turn 14, he cleared Van Hallen to cap off a stunning first lap  climbing from 7th to 2nd in one go.

For the next several laps, it was a strategic chess match between Fisher and Huis, the Mercedes glued to the rear of the Ferrari. Despite his pace, Fisher couldn’t make a move stick. The team eventually instructed him to back off to avoid overheating his engine and tyres, a call that hinted at a potential retirement if pushed too far.

Meanwhile, behind the leaders, Murphey muscled past Van Hallen for third, and Gunthenstiner struggled with engine temps, slipping back to 5th.

But the twist in the tale came on Lap 8, when a spectacular collision between Llewellyn Rees and Brad Smith brought out the red flag. Smith’s Haas was buried in the barriers at Turn 5, triggering a race suspension.

At the restart, Mercedes had a clear message for Fisher:

“If you want to win this race, you know what to do.”
Fisher's reply:
“I know… f**ing send it. Win it or bin it. Come on, guys!”*

As the lights went out for the restart, the fight was on. Fisher launched past Huis into Turn 5 with a daring slingshot move, reclaiming the lead. From there, it was a defensive masterclass Fisher clocked 45 close-to-wall alerts, dancing on the limit with just centimetres to spare.

The final lap brought the race to a boiling point. In the last DRS zone, Huis lunged left, Murphey went right  and there was contact. Fisher brushed Huis, who brushed Murphey, and it became a drag race to the line.

Fisher crossed the line first, snatching his 6th win of the season by the slimmest of margins over Murphey, with Huis completing the podium.