ENDURANCE 8 CV · Finale Race⏱ 3h04

The Finale endurance race at Sologne Karting (Piste Nord, 980 m, Salbris) brought together 10 teams on 12 September 2026 for a 183-minute battle on the RN 20 circuit. When the chequered flag fell, it was RENAULT (kart #4) that claimed victory with 200 laps completed, crossing the line ahead of BUGATTI by just 31.652 seconds — a tight margin that belied an intense fight throughout the race.

BUGATTI (kart #14) took second place with 199 laps, finishing 31.652 s behind the winner. FERRARI (kart #2) rounded out the podium at one lap down (197 laps), while AUDI (kart #6) and TOYOTA (kart #7) both completed 195 laps to finish fourth and fifth respectively. PORSCHE (kart #5) crossed the line sixth with 196 laps — remarkably one more lap than both AUDI and TOYOTA despite a lower finishing position, a quirk of lap-count timing at the flag. MERCEDES (kart #15) took seventh with 193 laps, LOTUS (kart #13) eighth with 192 laps, CITROËN (kart #12) ninth with 187 laps, and VOLKSWAGEN (kart #10) completed the field in tenth with 182 laps. All teams save LOTUS made 11 pit stops; LOTUS required 12 passages in the pits.

The fastest lap of the race was set by AUDI with a stunning 48.492 s. This illustrates the split personality of AUDI's race: capable of blistering individual laps, the team ranked only 8th in pure median pace (51.813 s) due to significant variation between their fast and slower stints.

From an analytical standpoint, RENAULT built their victory on the most solid foundation of the field: the best median race pace at 50.912 s (1st in pure pace ranking), paired with a consistency rating of 1.05 s standard deviation across 12 stints. Their relais were remarkably controlled, with multiple stints in the 50.2–50.5 s median range. BUGATTI matched them almost stride for stride — ranking 2nd in pure pace at 50.988 s and earning the title of most consistent team with a standard deviation of just 0.91 s across their 12 stints. The 31.652 s gap between them at the flag reflects just how close this contest truly was.

FERRARI finished third despite ranking only 4th in pure median pace (51.527 s), demonstrating that solid strategy and consistency across the race can outweigh raw speed. Meanwhile, LOTUS presented one of the race's most striking contrasts: ranked 3rd in pure pace with a median of 51.340 s, the team finished only 8th. Their extra pit stop and pace irregularities (standard deviation of 1.60 s) cost them dearly in a race where consistency proved decisive.

MERCEDES showed a similar story: strong when on pace (5th in pure rhythm), but a standard deviation of 2.00 s — the joint-highest alongside AUDI (2.07 s) — meant their race was punctuated by wide swings in lap time. AUDI's final stint was particularly telling, showing a degradation of 0.59 s per lap over just 6 laps — the sharpest decline of the race.

Key takeaways for teams: At Sologne Karting, the 183-minute format rewards above all else a consistent, repeatable median pace rather than isolated fast laps. RENAULT and BUGATTI demonstrated that maintaining a tight rhythm across all stints — with a standard deviation below 1.05 s — is the formula for a podium finish. Teams showing high variance (AUDI, MERCEDES, LOTUS) left significant time on the table despite their raw speed potential. Pit stop strategy was uniform at 11 stops for most teams; the decisive margin was made in the stints, not in the pit lane.