Grand Prix REXEL · Finale Race⏱ 2h03

The Finale of the endurance race held on 11 September 2026 at Sologne Karting (RN 20, Salbris) on the 1,500-metre International circuit brought together 19 teams for 122 minutes of racing. At the chequered flag, it was FERRARI (kart #2) that claimed victory with 80 laps completed, edging out HONDA by 18.051 seconds and WILLIAMS by 1:19.856.

HONDA (kart #23) and WILLIAMS (kart #30) also completed 80 laps, making for a tight battle at the top of the classification. MERCEDES (kart #4) crossed the line fourth, one lap down, while BMW (kart #21) and AUDI (kart #15) rounded out the top six. All 19 starters made 11 pit stops each throughout the race.

The fastest lap of the race was set by FERRARI in 1:18.890 — the sharpest time of the entire event. HONDA replied with a best of 1:19.043, and WILLIAMS with 1:19.063, confirming the pace of the three leading teams in outright lap time. Notably, SAUBER (7th) and ASTON MARTIN (14th) also posted best laps of 1:19.117 and 1:19.258 respectively, suggesting raw speed was not always rewarded with finishing position.

The pace analysis reveals a more complex picture beneath the results. HONDA posted the best pure median pace of the race at 1:20.535 per lap — faster than FERRARI's 1:21.102 — yet finished second. HONDA were consistently fast across their stints, accelerating in seven of their nine relays, and ended the race on a strong note. FERRARI, however, combined a competitive pace with flawless execution across ten relays and eleven pit stops, ultimately making the difference where it mattered.

CHEVROLET (11th) is the most striking case of raw pace going unrewarded: their median pace of 1:21.965 places them 3rd fastest in the field, ahead of MERCEDES (4th in pace, 4th on the road) and far ahead of many teams they finished behind. Their 3rd-best pace translated into only 11th place, a gap that the pace analysis underlines clearly.

MERCEDES stands out as the most consistent team of the race, with a lap-time standard deviation of just 1.43 seconds — the lowest in the field — reflecting remarkable regularity across ten stints. FERRARI were close behind at 1.48 s. In contrast, SAUBER (5th best pace) showed the highest variability in the classified analysis at 3.54 s, a factor that likely contributed to their 7th-place finish despite their inherent speed.

ALPINE (9th) made the most of their resources strategically: ranked only 14th in pure pace (median 1:23.864), they finished 9th, overperforming by five positions relative to their raw speed — a testament to consistent pit-stop execution with 11 passages at the stand.

Key takeaways for teams: At Sologne Karting, pure lap speed alone does not determine the result. HONDA's superior median pace did not convert into victory, while CHEVROLET's 3rd-best pace yielded only 11th place. Regularity — as demonstrated by MERCEDES and FERRARI — combined with disciplined pit-stop management across 11 stops, proved decisive. Teams with high lap-time variability (SAUBER: 3.54 s σ, WILLIAMS: 2.22 s σ) sacrifice positions they could otherwise claim. Managing tyre and driver consistency over the full 122 minutes is as important as outright kart speed on this 1,500-metre circuit.