RELAIS ESTIVAL · Course Race⏱ 43 min

On August 5, 2026, the Karting Circuit Paul Ricard (964 m) hosted a 43-minute endurance race that brought together 24 teams on a competitive and closely fought afternoon. At the end of a strategic and hard-fought contest, team MECHE (kart #20) took the chequered flag ahead of B72 and PCM TURBO.

MECHE clinched victory with 35 laps completed, finishing a lap ahead of the chasing pack on corrected time — their gap to second-placed B72 (kart #24) was listed as "Tour 40" in the results. B72 crossed the line 2.659 seconds ahead of PCM TURBO (kart #1), who took third at 3.449 seconds. FATHER & SON (kart #12) completed a tight top four, just 0.374 s further back at 3.823 s off the lead. All four top teams completed 35 or 36 laps and each made exactly three pit stops. The fastest lap of the entire race was set by B72 with a time of 1:00.092.

The pace analysis reveals a more nuanced picture. PCM TURBO posted the best pure median pace of the field at 1:01.425 (1st in pure rhythm), yet had to settle for third on the road — a sign that their strategy or pit-stop execution left marginal time on the table. FATHER & SON stood out as the most consistent team of the race, recording the lowest standard deviation at just 0.68 s, with notably disciplined stints throughout their four relays. B72 combined a 3rd-best median pace (1:01.507) with the outright quickest lap and an impressive final stint that accelerated at 0.19 s/lap.

Race winner MECHE ranked only 4th in pure median pace (1:01.754), illustrating how pit strategy and consistency under pressure can outweigh outright speed in endurance racing. Their final relay of ten laps was their fastest, improving at a rate of 0.18 s/lap — a well-timed push to the flag.

Further down the order, CLAC-CLAC-CLAC (kart #6) delivered the standout strategic performance of the race: ranked only 12th in pure pace (median 1:02.528), they ultimately finished 8th, gaining four positions over their pure speed potential. Their regularity (σ = 0.69 s) and a strong final stint — accelerating at 0.21 s/lap — were key to that result.

FLO (kart #19) is another team worth noting: 7th fastest in pure pace (1:02.228) but classified 11th, showing that pace alone didn't translate into positions. Meanwhile, LEGROSNEZCASSÉ73 (kart #9) completed only 13 laps after a fourth pit stop, ending the race a lap down in 12th, their high irregularity (σ = 2.37 s) and a first stint that slowed at 0.26 s/lap telling the story of a difficult afternoon.

Key takeaways for teams: This race rewarded those who combined consistent lap times with clean pit work. PCM TURBO's best-in-field pace was not enough to beat a strategically superior MECHE. FATHER & SON's exceptional regularity (σ = 0.68 s across 36 laps) is the benchmark for tyre and pace management on this circuit. Teams with high lap-time variability — as shown by LEGROSNEZCASSÉ73 (σ = 2.37 s) — risk losing multiple positions regardless of their outright speed. On the 964 m Paul Ricard karting track, with 24 starters over 43 minutes, margin for error is minimal and every pit stop counts.