RELAIS ESTIVAL · Course Race⏱ 42 min

Twenty teams took the start of a 41-minute endurance race on the Karting Circuit Paul Ricard (964 m) on 17 July 2026. With every kart making exactly three pit stops, strategy was equally shared across the field, and the outcome hinged almost entirely on raw pace and consistency.

TRINITY (kart #15) took the chequered flag with 36 laps completed, finishing one lap ahead of the field's chasers and crossing the line with a comfortable margin. Their overall median pace of 1:00.064 was the fastest across all 20 entries — making them the deserved double winner: best on the road and best in pure rhythm. Three of their four stints carried an accelerating trend, gaining roughly 0.17–0.19 s per lap within the stint, a sign of drivers who find their groove as the fuel load drops. Their final 10-lap stint was the steadiest, with a median of 1:00.261 and a regularity figure of 0.69 s — solid under pressure.

VAL / SEB (kart #3) finished second, 12.774 s behind, also on 36 laps. They hold the distinction of setting the fastest lap of the entire race: 59.226 s. Their median pace ranked third overall (1:00.707), reflecting a more uneven distribution across stints — a very rapid opening relay (median 59.453) contrasted with two mid-race stints above 1:01, before a strong recovery in the finale (median 59.732). Regularity (0.97 s standard deviation) was slightly below the top crews.

TEAM PLAN C (kart #24) completed the podium, 14.330 s off the lead, also on 36 laps. Crucially, their pure-pace ranking was second best in the field (median 1:00.532), ahead of the winner's rhythm figure, yet a less consistent first stint (σ 1.02 s) likely cost them time on the road early on. Their three remaining stints were remarkably controlled (σ 0.44–0.66), confirming a crew that found its feet after the opening phase.

LES PINKS LADYS (kart #25) and KVB (kart #2) rounded out the top five, both on 36 laps, separated by only 3 s. LES PINKS LADYS distinguished themselves with the best regularity among the 36-lap finishers (σ 0.59 s) and a remarkably flat pace across all four stints — a textbook display of consistent driving. KVB showed a noticeable improvement in their final relay, where they accelerated at 0.17 s per lap, nearly closing the gap to fourth.

Among the one-lap-down group (35 laps), NIRO (kart #14) earned the title of most consistent team of the race, with a standard deviation of just 0.56 s — the lowest across all finishers — despite ranking only 9th in pure median pace. S&N CORSA (kart #26) produced the race's standout strategic performance: ranked a mere 14th in pure rhythm yet finishing 7th, gaining seven positions over their pace ranking. KART BLEU (kart #7) and FATHER & SON (kart #12), ranked 6th and 7th in median pace respectively, ended up 10th and 11th, leaving pace gains on the table. L'EMIRATI (kart #20), limited to 12 laps and only two pit stops, had the 12th-best pure rhythm but classified 19th — a race cut short well before their potential could be expressed.

Key takeaways for teams: TRINITY demonstrated that combining the best overall pace with progressive improvement within each stint is a winning formula on Paul Ricard. TEAM PLAN C's pace was genuinely faster than the winner's median figure — ironing out first-stint irregularity could elevate them to the top step. LES PINKS LADYS proved that relentless regularity (σ 0.59 s) is worth multiple positions over 41 minutes. And S&N CORSA's jump of seven places over their rhythm ranking is a reminder that discipline at pit stops and traffic management can offset a pace deficit on a 964 m circuit.