ENDURANCE 2H · COURSE Race⏱ 1h14

On July 24, 2026, the Ouest Circuit International d'Essay near Aunay-les-Bois hosted a 74-minute endurance race on the 1,220-metre Piste 1200m Horaire layout, bringing together 14 competing teams. After 79 laps of racing, MECA 9 (kart #29) crossed the finish line first, claiming victory ahead of CARROSSERIE MELOISE and GARAGE LEBLANC.

MECA 9 took the top step on 79 laps, finishing 59.620 seconds clear of second-placed CARROSSERIE MELOISE (kart #12, 79 laps). GARAGE LEBLANC (kart #6) completed the podium one lap down, edging GARAGE TANGUY (kart #33) by 12.057 seconds for third — both teams on 78 laps. ADNM (kart #18) and GARAGE PROVOST (kart #4) rounded out the top six, also on 78 laps. All 14 teams completed exactly five pit stops, making strategy essentially uniform across the field.

The fastest lap of the race was set by ADNM (kart #18) in 1:05.225, the quickest single lap recorded on the day.

Beyond the finishing order, the pace analysis reveals a more nuanced picture. GARAGE TANGUY posted the best pure median pace of the entire field at 1:06.816 — yet finished only fourth. With a standard deviation of 1.79 seconds, their consistency was the weakest among the front-runners, and their fifth stint showed a degradation of 0.19 s/lap, factors that ultimately cost them positions on the road.

MECA 9, by contrast, combined a solid 2nd-best median pace (1:06.887) with strong overall consistency (σ = 0.91 s) across five stints. Their fifth and final stint did show a degradation of 0.24 s/lap — the largest of any team in the field — but the damage was contained, and the gap they had built proved sufficient for the win.

CARROSSERIE MELOISE is perhaps the standout strategic story of the race. Ranked only 4th in pure pace with a median of 1:07.911, they converted that into a runner-up finish — two positions gained over their pace ranking — with the most consistent race-long rhythm in the top four (σ = 0.84 s) and five fully stable stints. Measured, error-free racing proved more valuable than raw speed.

At the other end of the spectrum, GARAGE 2000 (9th, kart #26) was the most consistent team on the entire circuit with a standard deviation of just 0.56 seconds, producing five rock-steady stints. Their median pace of 1:08.016 placed them 7th on pure speed, but their consistency could not compensate for a pace deficit against the leaders.

GARAGE ALIX (8th, kart #21) and GARAGE LECONTE (7th, kart #32) both showed pace ranked 5th and 9th respectively, broadly matching their finishing positions. Further back, GARAGE LEPRINCE (13th) and GARAGE BRUNET (14th) finished 5 and 6 laps down, with the slowest best laps of the field at 1:08.808 and 1:09.625.

Key takeaways for teams: On a circuit like Essay, where all teams adopt the same pit-stop strategy, the race is decided by the combination of consistent median pace and managing degradation over long stints. MECA 9's victory demonstrates that 2nd-best pace with high consistency outperforms the fastest team on paper. GARAGE TANGUY's experience — best pure pace, fourth place — is a reminder that a high standard deviation across relays can undo raw speed. For teams aiming to climb the order, CARROSSERIE MELOISE's approach — disciplined, stable stints at a sustainable pace — is the model to study.