Sports · 15 September, 2026 · 2 min read
Max Verstappen Races 101 Karts at Silverstone, Starting Behind 100 Drivers
Verstappen competes in Max vs 100 at Silverstone, starting at the back of 101-kart grid. He overtakes all 100 rivals within about 13–14 laps, winning in roughly 35 minutes.
Tone toward chaos: ruthless competition versus media spectacle.
9 of 11 outlets skipped it: verstappen needed 14 laps and 35 minutes to finish.
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Same story, two versions
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BBC
“The ruthless Dutchman, who warned participants "it's not a charity event" on race radio”Read the original ↗
The New York Times
“This was a one-off go-kart race where Verstappen was tasked with overtaking 100 karters — a mix of content creators, streamers, athletes”Read the original ↗
BBC frames the event as hard-nosed competition, while The New York Times frames it as media spectacle with personalities.
Max vs 100 at Silverstone
Max Verstappen will race 101 identical karts at the Silverstone circuit in England on September 16, starting at the back of a pack of 100 drivers and trying to overtake them all within 30 laps.
“At noon Eastern Time (5 pm BST) today, September 16, Verstappen will slip into something a little more basic: a kart.”
Ars Technica says the 101st driver will be Verstappen, while the other 100 will be driven by a mix of content creators and Red Bull athletes, with each rival eliminated once Verstappen passes them.
The event is run on a purpose-designed layout at Silverstone, and Bolavip México adds that the 100 drivers will qualify on a single lap to determine starting positions.
Bolavip México also says Verstappen can communicate with the pack by radio, and that each driver can use a shortcut during the first half of the race while Verstappen can use his shortcut only after lap 15.
Voices on chaos and rules
David Coulthard, a Grand Prix winner and one of Red Bull Racing’s first factory drivers, said Verstappen is “going to go for it” and “try and achieve this target,” framing the challenge as a direct test of overtaking ability rather than a publicity stunt.
In the same Ars Technica report, Coulthard pointed to Verstappen’s prior experience, saying, “Max is pretty unique in comparison to the other Grand Prix drivers in that he’s already done the Nürburgring 24 hours in his GT3.”
Verstappen described the race format as a test of fundamentals, telling Bolavip México: “In karts you learn all the fundamentals: starts, defense, overtakes.”
When asked what he expects from the event, Bolavip México quotes Verstappen saying: “Simply see how the carnage unfolds before my eyes.”
Where to watch and what’s at stake
Multiple outlets tie the challenge to live global viewing, with ESPN and Disney+ repeatedly listed as the platforms for Max vs 100 at Silverstone on September 16.
“On Sept. 16, Max Verstappen will attempt to overtake 100 other drivers in a unique go-karting challenge at Silverstone, live on ESPN on Disney+.”
ESPN says the attempt will be live on ESPN on Disney+ on Sept. 16, while Motorsport | Other states the race is streamed live via ESPN on Disney+ and that qualifying is at 2:20pm local time.
Motorsport | Other also specifies that Verstappen will start at the back of a 101-kart race and has 30 laps, and it adds that each time a driver is overtaken by the four-time F1 champion, they are eliminated from the event.
The Independent describes the same elimination rule and the weight requirement, saying all 101 drivers are in identical karts, all weighing 85kg, and that every driver who is passed by Verstappen is then eliminated from the challenge.