REXEL · Course Race⏱ 3h31

The 210-minute endurance race held on September 23, 2026 at the Le Mans Karting International – Alain Prost track (980 m) in Le Mans saw 13 teams go head-to-head on a demanding format that rewarded both speed and strategy. At the chequered flag, LES RATS DES SABLES (kart #11) claimed victory with 171 laps completed, one lap clear of LES NON VENDEEN and two ahead of LES SABLEUX.

The opening podium positions were spread over just two laps, while positions 3 and 4 were separated by a mere 14.751 seconds after 3h30 of racing — SGXV CITY (kart #80) finishing fourth despite holding the best pure pace of the entire field, with a median lap time of 57.579 s, making them the standout performer on raw speed. Their 4th-place result, three positions below their pace ranking, illustrates how crucial pit-stop execution proved in this race. With 17 pit stops, LES RATS DES SABLES made one additional stop compared to the majority of their rivals who all completed 16, yet that did not prevent them from taking the win.

The most striking strategic story of the race belongs to LES NON VENDEEN (kart #16). Ranked only 13th in pure pace with a median lap of 1:01.617 — the slowest of all analysed teams — they nonetheless crossed the line in 2nd place, a gain of 11 positions over their pace ranking. This remarkable outcome reflects a pit-stop and race management strategy that more than compensated for a lack of outright speed.

At the other end of the spectrum, FONTENAY CITY BRONX (kart #74) posted the 3rd-best pure pace of the field (median 58.718 s) but finished only 9th, six positions below their pace potential. Similarly, LA ROCHE PILOTAGE (kart #2) carried the 2nd-best median pace (58.564 s) and finished 7th, suggesting that in-kart performance alone was not sufficient to translate into a strong finishing position.

In terms of consistency, MONTAIGU LA DIGUE (kart #35) recorded the lowest standard deviation of lap times across the field (2.22 s), making them the most regular team on circuit. Despite finishing 11th, their disciplined tempo stands out as a positive reference. Conversely, LES NON VENDEEN's regularity figure (2.84 s), while not the best, remained competitive enough to support their strategic ambitions.

The fastest lap of the race was set by SAINT GILLES PILOTAGE (kart #47) with a time of 1:03.996, despite the team finishing 13th — a reminder that raw lap time and race result can diverge sharply over a long-distance format.

Key takeaways for teams: This race at Le Mans Karting International confirms that on a 3h30 endurance format, pure pace is a necessary but insufficient condition for success. SGXV CITY's pace-to-result gap and LES NON VENDEEN's strategic climb from last in pace to 2nd overall demonstrate that pit-stop timing, stint management and consistency are decisive variables. Teams targeting the podium should focus as much on their in-race strategy as on their lap times.