Max Verstappen secured victory in the ‘Max vs 100’ go-kart event held at Silverstone on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The Red Bull driver, a four-time world champion, completed the challenge in 14 laps and 35 minutes, significantly under his allotted time.
The unique event saw Verstappen start from the back of a 101-kart grid, tasked with overtaking all competitors. He managed to clear 63 drivers within the opening lap, establishing an early lead.
The ‘Max vs 100: The Ultimate Karting Challenge’ was a Red Bull-organised initiative, designed to showcase Verstappen’s driving skill in a different discipline.
The custom-built track at Silverstone combined 1.3 kilometres of the permanent karting circuit with an additional 1.15 kilometres of temporary track. This created a total length of 2.45 kilometres for the event.
The temporary section was specifically constructed to introduce varied technical corners and straights, adding complexity to the challenge.
The event was broadcast live globally on ESPN and Disney+, featuring commentary and on-board camera footage from Verstappen’s kart.
Verstappen was given 30 laps, or 75 minutes, to complete the task against a field comprising athletes, content creators, journalists, and other celebrities.
Following his dominant performance, Verstappen indicated a readiness for a larger challenge. He stated, ‘Maybe 200 [drivers] and then we’ll see again.’
His strategy for the race involved navigating the initial chaos. ‘The first lap is just chaos so you just want to survive,’ Verstappen commented.
He then focused on systematically ‘hunting them down’ one by one, relying on instinct to find gaps.
Verstappen spent several laps catching the final three competitors: journalist Jacky Martens, YouTuber Zac Alsop, and Red Bull’s Lewis Osler.
The karts used were standard rental models, emphasizing that the challenge was purely a test of driver skill.
Red Bull frequently organises such unique challenges for its athletes, aligning with Verstappen’s enjoyment of karting, which he last engaged in ‘properly’ in 2016.
‘It’s just great that with Red Bull they always come up with some crazy fun things and it suits me as well,’ Verstappen stated. ‘I can really be myself and I think also the way it was organised today, I know that it requires a lot of effort to be able to do something like this.’
The broadcast was part of a broader content strategy by Red Bull and ESPN to engage a wider audience beyond traditional Formula 1 racing.
