GRIGNET · Course Race⏱ 1h31

Twenty-eight teams lined up on the 1,366-metre location circuit at Karting des Fagnes in Mariembourg on November 11, 2026, for a 91-minute endurance race that would prove as much a test of strategy as of outright pace.

THE GIANT APEX (kart #18) crossed the line first with 56 laps completed, holding off GM POSE (#9) by just 2.472 seconds in what was a tightly contested fight at the front. FULL GAZ RACING (#17) rounded out the podium at 11.520 seconds, with LES COUZ (#22) only 0.034 seconds further back in fourth. MCK RACING (#8) completed the top five, also on 56 laps but over a minute adrift. All 28 teams made exactly one pit stop during the race.

The fastest lap of the entire race was set by FULL GAZ RACING with a stunning 1:24.355, the benchmark of the day. Despite this raw speed, the team could only manage the 5th-best pure pace median (1:32.509) and finished 3rd — a sign that their race was built around an aggressive second stint rather than sustained consistency. CAPI ON TRACK (6th) and THN RACING (7th) also showed genuine speed with the 3rd and 4th best median pace respectively, finishing just outside the top five with 55 laps.

The strategic story of the race belongs to THE GIANT APEX. Their pure-pace median ranked only 12th in the field (1:36.334), yet they took the victory. Their first stint of 23 laps was remarkably stable (standard deviation of just 0.72 s), laying the foundation for a strong second stint where they accelerated by 0.36 s/lap and posted their best lap of 1:26.463. Race management and consistency, not raw pace, delivered the win.

At the other end of the spectrum, ROMAIN & JOHAN (14th, kart #13) produced the best pure pace median of the entire field at 1:29.762 — faster than the race winner and every other team — yet crossed the line 14th. This gap between outright pace and final classification highlights the decisive role of pit stop timing, traffic management, and stint structure in endurance racing.

LES COUZ (4th) stood out as the most consistent team of the day, posting the lowest standard deviation across their laps (2.95 s), reflecting a measured, controlled approach across both stints. LES BICHONS (9th) also caught the eye with the 2nd-best pure pace median (1:30.287) while completing their race on a single long stint of 27 laps, underperforming on final position relative to their speed.

Key takeaways for teams: at Karting des Fagnes, raw speed alone does not win endurance races. THE GIANT APEX's victory with only the 12th-best median pace is a clear reminder that pit stop timing, in-lap consistency, and the ability to manage a full stint without degradation are the true differentiators. Teams with strong pure pace — such as ROMAIN & JOHAN or LES BICHONS — must ensure their race structure converts speed into positions. Meanwhile, the most consistent teams tend to surface at the front when it matters most.