Ryan Jones led the field early and set the initial benchmark, but as tyre pressures rose and confidence grew, the order began to shuffle rapidly. Ryan Bettess emerged at the front, followed by Blake Worboys, Ryan O'Sullivan, Jones, and Sam Blacklock. The pace continued to build, and by the halfway point Brad Rattew had moved to the top of the timesheets, with Daniel Poulton, Jake Burton, Marcello Rivera, Jack Widdas, and William Sapstead all featuring inside the top ten.

With no dry line forming and conditions remaining treacherous, progress became increasingly difficult. Bettess returned to the top with a display of calm consistency, while most of the field struggled to find meaningful improvements as the session wound down. Final laps brought only marginal gains, and when the chequered flag fell it was Bettess who secured a deserved pole position. Rattew, O'Sullivan, Widdas, and Burton completed the top five, while Worboys, Sapstead, Rivera, Kurt Stenberg, and Poulton rounded out the top ten.

Post qualifying drama followed. Sam Blacklock received a 10 second penalty for impeding, while Brad Newman was a notable absentee from the session after being handed a rear of grid penalty stemming from incidents at Hockenheim.

A clean start in tricky conditions

Conditions remained tricky for the race despite rain clearing between sessions. A damp surface and lingering puddles kept everyone on edge as the field launched cleanly into Turn 1. Against the odds, the opening looked like passing without incident, but that calm did not last long.

Brad Rattew made a mistake at Acque Minerali, backing up the leading pack all the way to Variante Alta. On corner exit the Orbit Drop Bear Mustang rotated and collected Blake Worboys, sending both drivers tumbling down the order.

As the field settled into rhythm, Bettess and O'Sullivan began to edge clear at the front. On lap four Jake Burton executed a clean move on Jack Widdas for third, opening the door for Sapstead to apply pressure into Tosa. Widdas held firm, while further back contact between Tyce Hodge and Ric Kuznetsov forced Tom Freer into evasive action. Hodge was later issued a 10 second penalty.

Rain returned shortly after, adding another layer of complexity. Strategy became critical as conditions fluctuated. On lap seven Widdas half spun at Piratella directly in front of Marcello Rivera, who ran into the back of the Mustang and spun off. Rivera was handed a 10 second penalty. Two laps later Blacklock dove into the pits to serve his earlier penalty and complete his first compulsory stop.

Pit strategies soon spread across a vast window, turning the race into one of the most strategically diverse events in series history. On lap seventeen Burton hunted down O'Sullivan for second before immediately heading to pit lane to trigger the response from the front runners. Sapstead joined him, with O'Sullivan following a lap later. Bettess stayed out until lap twenty two, briefly handing the lead to Rivera, who was yet to pit. The cycle finally completed on lap twenty five when Rivera took service.

Strategies play out at the halfway mark

At the halfway mark Brad Newman cracked the top twenty on an impressive charge from the back, just as the sun finally broke through. Worboys was also recovering strongly until another spin at Acque Minerali halted his progress.

Once the field reset, Bettess resumed the lead ahead of Burton, O'Sullivan, Sapstead, and Poulton. Drivers carefully managed their wet tyres on a drying circuit, hoping to stretch to slicks for the final stop. Burton began to close the gap but a small error, his third in as many rounds, ended his challenge for the win.

Late race chaos followed. Chris Ireland and Brian Borg gambled on slick tyres too early and immediately struggled. Contact between Widdas and Blacklock at Acque Minerali left cars stranded, and a dangerous rejoin from Widdas resulted in a multi car incident involving Denis Gataric and Tyce Hodge. Widdas was issued a drive through penalty.

With most of the field still needing a second compulsory stop, a late splash and dash became the likely outcome. Sapstead led the way among those who had completed both stops and set the fastest lap with eight laps remaining. O'Sullivan and Hayden Veld pitted with six to go, followed by Bettess and Burton a lap later, both rejoining comfortably in first and second.

A dominant display earns a Golden Ticket

As the track reached its best condition, O'Sullivan set another fastest lap, but up front Bettess was in complete control. He crossed the line eight seconds clear of Burton to claim a dominant victory, with O'Sullivan completing the podium. Sapstead and Rivera finished inside the top five, followed by Veld, Poulton, Kurt Stenberg, Joshua Houghton, and Phillipa Boquida, who scored her first top ten of the season.

For One Performance Racing driver Ryan Bettess, the win secured automatic promotion to the 2026 Logitech G V8PRO Series grid. He credited extensive wet weather preparation for his success after a commanding lights to flag performance.

With just one round remaining at the Red Bull Ring, only one automatic promotion slot remains. One final winner and the top sixteen in points will punch their tickets to Sebring, where the 2026 V8PRO season officially begins in just a matter of weeks.