EPIROC ENDURANCE 1H · Finale Race⏱ 1h11

The Final of the 70-minute endurance race at AF Kart'Landes (Planning Location circuit, 1,090 m) took place on 23 October 2026, bringing together 8 teams on a track that would reward both pace and strategy over the course of the afternoon.

McLaren (kart #24) took the chequered flag in 1st position, completing 41 laps and crossing the line with a 6.816-second advantage over Mercedes (kart #22), who also completed 41 laps. Ferrari (kart #9) rounded out the podium, likewise on 41 laps but 57.246 seconds behind the winner. Alpine (kart #25) finished 4th, one lap down, while Cadillac (kart #86) and Red Bull (kart #10) completed the top six, both two laps off the pace. Aston Martin (kart #23) crossed the line 7th, three laps adrift, and Audi (kart #5) came home 8th after completing just 29 laps, 12 laps behind the leaders. The fastest lap of the entire race was set by Mercedes with a time of 1:15.843.

The analysis reveals a compelling gap between outright speed and race result at the top. Mercedes posted the best pure pace of the field with a median race lap of 1:22.069 and the strongest consistency (standard deviation of 2.56 s), yet finished second. Their second stint was particularly impressive — a median of 1:18.538 and a best lap of 1:15.843 — though a heavy degradation of 0.75 s/lap in their third stint cost them time in the closing stages. With three pit stops against McLaren's three, the difference was made elsewhere.

McLaren, ranked 2nd in pure pace (median 1:23.148), converted their strategy into a victory. Their third stint stood out: a median of 1:19.762, accelerating at 0.44 s/lap, pushing the team back into contention. The fourth and final stint, however, showed the sharpest degradation of any McLaren stint, slowing at 0.75 s/lap — yet the gap built earlier proved sufficient. It is the clearest example of this race of a team maximising its result beyond its raw speed.

Ferrari (3rd, median 1:24.209) delivered a consistent performance across three stints, their second and third relays both showing improving pace. Alpine (4th, median 1:25.395) produced their strongest running in the final two stints, with a very regular last relay (standard deviation of just 0.79 s) — a sign of solid management in the closing stages of the race. Red Bull (6th, median 1:25.588, 5th in pure pace) gained momentum throughout, their final stint being their most consistent (standard deviation 0.57 s). Cadillac (5th, four pit stops) and Aston Martin (7th) both showed improving pace across their stints but could not match the leading trio on overall lap count. Audi (8th) struggled for pace throughout, with a median of 1:37.228 and the highest variability of the field (standard deviation 4.06 s).

Key takeaways for teams: This race illustrated that pure pace alone does not guarantee victory — McLaren won with the 2nd-best median pace by managing their stints and their pit stop timing effectively. Mercedes, fastest on raw pace and the most consistent team overall, left the door open through degradation in their third stint. Teams looking to progress should note that stint-end degradation (tracked here at up to 0.75 s/lap for the leaders) and the timing of pit stops were the decisive differentiators over 70 minutes at AF Kart'Landes.