Woensdagavond met Chrono · Finale Race⏱ 1h17

The Finale endurance race at First Kart 'Inn (FKI) in Machelen took place on 11 November 2026, bringing together 17 drivers for a 76-minute battle on the kart track. Yonas Heyvaert (kart #17) took the top step of the podium, completing 28 laps and setting the fastest lap of the race in 47.539 s.

Yonas Heyvaert crossed the finish line a full lap ahead of the chasing pack in terms of elapsed time, with second place Frédéric Van Driel (kart #3) trailing by 9.687 seconds after matching the winner's 28-lap total. Martin Thibeau (kart #6) completed the podium, a further 0.830 s behind Van Driel. Fourth-placed Kris Cools (kart #11, +15.126 s) and fifth-placed Owen Rodwell (kart #4, +17.961 s) rounded out the top five, all finishing on 28 laps. All competitors made exactly one pit stop during the race.

From a pure-pace perspective, the picture looks notably different. Kris Cools posted the strongest median race rhythm at 52.547 s — the best of all drivers analysed — yet converted that speed into only fourth place on the road. His higher lap-time variability (standard deviation of 2.61 s) compared to the leading trio suggests that consistency, not outright speed, ultimately dictated the final order.

Martin Thibeau stood out as the most consistent driver of the race, with a standard deviation of just 1.36 s over his entire stint, maintaining a stable median of 55.681 s throughout his 27-lap relay. That discipline helped him claim third place ahead of faster but less regular rivals.

Noam Alexandre (kart #5, 7th) deserves mention: his pure-pace rank of 4th — median of 55.737 s — was not reflected in his final position. His single analysed relay showed a slight drop of 0.20 s/lap toward the end, which may have opened the gap to the runners ahead. Conversely, Vincent Rutten (kart #2, 10th) built pace across his relay, gaining 0.34 s/lap, finishing 6th on pure pace despite 10th place on the results sheet.

The strategic highlight belonged to Lucas Bessot (kart #10, 6th), who ranks only 12th on pure median pace (57.034 s overall). His first relay was slower at 59.156 s median, but his second relay — longer at 33 laps — was notably quicker at 56.256 s median with exceptional regularity (standard deviation of 0.98 s). That patient, improving approach earned him a finish well above what raw pace alone would have predicted.

At the other end of the spectrum, Rui Okuzawa (kart #14, 13th) posted the 8th-best pure rhythm at 56.359 s but could not translate that into a higher finish, also being the only driver to make two pit stops. Meanwhile, Lionel Piraux (kart #15, 8th) produced the 5th-best median pace with consistent lap times (std dev 1.61 s), suggesting solid potential for future races.

Key takeaways for teams: at First Kart 'Inn Machelen on 11 November 2026, outright speed was necessary but not sufficient — lap-time consistency and effective tyre management over long stints proved decisive. Kris Cools had the fastest median rhythm of the field yet finished fourth; Martin Thibeau's near-perfect regularity (1.36 s std dev) secured the final podium spot; and Lucas Bessot's ability to lift his pace across the race produced a result well beyond his raw speed ranking. Minimising lap-time scatter and maximising the productive laps around the single compulsory stop appears to be the defining strategic lever on this circuit.