E 45 · Finale Race⏱ 1h01

The 60-minute endurance final at MKRACING in Saint Christophe du Bois (815 m circuit) brought together 10 teams on 12 September 2026 for a gripping battle where strategy and consistency proved as decisive as outright pace.

FERRARI (kart #6) claimed victory with 71 laps completed, finishing more than a lap ahead of the last classified finishers lower down the order. The gap over second-placed RENAULT (#8, 70 laps) stood at 8.643 seconds, while CITROËN (#7, 72 laps) completed the podium a further 16.232 seconds back. Notably, both CITROËN and fourth-placed VOLKSWAGEN (#17, 72 laps) recorded more laps than the race winner, yet finished behind — a direct consequence of time lost in the pits. BUGATTI (#1) was the sole retirement of the event.

FERRARI set the fastest lap of the race with a 45.161 s effort, a benchmark none of their rivals could match. RENAULT and MERCEDES came closest, with respective best laps of 45.657 s and 45.162 s.

The pace analysis reveals a striking contrast between raw speed and final classification. MERCEDES (#16, 5th) posted the best pure median pace of the field at 45.883 s per lap — faster than any other team — yet crossed the line fifth. A very first stint running notably slower (49.854 s median over 11 laps) weighed heavily on their overall result, despite three subsequent stints of genuine top-end pace. FERRARI, ranked 2nd in pure pace (46.131 s median), converted their speed into victory through 3 pit stops and a remarkably stable consistency across all four stints.

RENAULT stands out as the most consistent team of the day, recording the lowest lap-time standard deviation of the classified finishers at 0.85 s across four stints and four pit stops. Their regularity allowed them to hold second place despite carrying one extra pit stop compared to most rivals.

The story of the race's strategic dimension belongs to CITROËN. Ranked only 6th in pure pace (47.386 s median), they nonetheless claimed the final podium position in 3rd — making them the clearest over-performer of the event relative to their raw speed. Their three-stop strategy and a very regular opening stint (0.45 s standard deviation over 21 laps) were key to this outcome.

VOLKSWAGEN (#17, 4th) showed an interesting pattern: two stints with an accelerating pace trend across their relays, yet still managed 72 laps — the joint-highest total alongside CITROËN. AUDI (#14, 7th) displayed the second-largest pace variation overall (1.62 s standard deviation), with a clear split between fast and slower stints, finishing 14.888 s behind TOYOTA in 6th.

Key takeaways for teams: At MKRACING Saint Christophe du Bois, raw speed alone does not win endurance races. MERCEDES demonstrated that an inconsistent opening stint can neutralise the fastest pace of the field. FERRARI's victory was built on translating a strong — but not supreme — median pace into four stable stints with minimal time variation. CITROËN's podium confirms that a well-managed three-stop strategy can outweigh a significant pace deficit. For future events, teams should prioritise consistent lap times from the very first stint and keep pit stop count in line with the competition.