MAX VERSTAPPEN OVERTAKES 100 KARTS IN 35 MINUTES AT SILVERSTONE
Max Verstappen returned to his karting roots in a very different kind of race at Silverstone, taking part in Red Bull’s “Max vs 100” challenge. Starting at the very back of a field of 101 karts, the four-time Formula 1 world champion had to overtake all 100 drivers ahead of him.
Verstappen completed the challenge in around 35 minutes, far below the maximum limit of 75 minutes and 30 laps. He passed the entire field around the halfway point of the race, with Red Bull recording the final elimination on Lap 14.
The opening lap was the key moment. More than 60 drivers were eliminated during the first lap as the large field struggled to get through the opening sections of the specially designed circuit. Karts were spinning, making contact and getting stuck, while Verstappen managed to find clear space and avoid most of the chaos.
After the first lap, Verstappen had already moved from 101st to 37th place. He then continued to close the gap to the leaders while the race became more organised. Pole-sitter Jacky Martens, Red Bull Ford Powertrains technician Lewis Osler and content creator Zac Alsop were among the drivers leading the race.
The final driver Verstappen needed to pass was Martens, a Dutch Formula 1 journalist who had started from pole position. Once Verstappen passed him, all 100 drivers had been overtaken and the challenge was complete. Martens finished second, while Osler took third place.
The event used a special circuit created for the challenge, combining the Silverstone karting track with part of the Formula 1 circuit. With 101 karts on track at the same time, traffic management was one of the biggest parts of the challenge, rather than simply setting the fastest lap.
The rules also made every overtake important. Once Verstappen’s kart passed a rival, that driver was eliminated from the race. Some of the leading drivers also had access to a shortcut during the race, giving them a way to try to stay ahead of Verstappen for longer.
Verstappen’s fastest lap was a 2:20.673, while Martens recorded a 2:23.327 as the next fastest lap. Across the 35-minute challenge, Verstappen overtook a driver roughly every 21 seconds on average.
The field included content creators, streamers, journalists, athletes, Red Bull personalities and fans from around the world. Among the participants were TheGrefg, TheDonato, Pol Tarrés, Larry Chen and mountain biker Bernard Kerr.
The event also gave Verstappen the chance to return to the discipline where his racing career began. He first drove a kart at the age of four and started competing in championships at seven. Verstappen has previously spoken about how karting helped him learn the basics of racing, including overtaking, defending and understanding grip.
After finishing the challenge, Verstappen joked about the result by calling it his first win of the year. The Dutchman had not yet won a Formula 1 Grand Prix in the 2026 season at that point, although he had finished second at the Spanish Grand Prix shortly before the event.
Max vs 100 was streamed globally on ESPN through Disney+, giving fans the chance to watch Verstappen attempt something very different from a normal Formula 1 weekend. The event ultimately ended with the Red Bull driver completing the challenge well before the time limit and returning to the top step of a karting podium.
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