Max Verstappen Dominates Red Bull’s ‘Max vs 100’ Karting Spectacular at Silverstone
Just days after securing a podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix, four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen swapped his RB20 for a go-kart to tackle Red Bull’s ambitious Max vs 100 challenge at Silverstone.
The Challenge: Overtake 100 Rivals from the Back of the Grid
Held on Wednesday evening, the event tasked Verstappen with overtaking and eliminating 100 competitors—comprising Red Bull athletes, content creators, and other guests—from the very back of the grid within 30 laps or 75 minutes. Red Bull, renowned for high-concept stunts across sports, billed it as the world’s biggest go-kart race
. The action was broadcast live on Disney+, amplified across social media, and produced with the gravity of a headline Grand Prix.
Following two practice days overseen by Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad, the serious business began when Verstappen arrived to sample the 2.5 km layout blending Silverstone’s karting venue with sections of the F1 circuit. While Verstappen’s outright pace was never in doubt, the logistical puzzle of carving through a 101-kart field from last to first remained an open question.
“It’s a long way! A very long way!”
Verstappen smiled during a pre-race interview as he walked the length of the grid, the scale of the challenge visibly dawning on him moments before the 18:00 start.
Verstappen’s P101 to P1 Charge
From the moment the lights went out, Verstappen shuffled forward aggressively, ducking and diving past a gaggle of rivals into Turn 1. He narrowly avoided the first-corner bottleneck and strategically used the grass to bypass spinners. His rapid progress continued through Sectors 1 and 2 until a Full Course Yellow neutralized the race to clear further incidents.
Initial estimates suggested he might have passed 20 to 50 karts, but the timing screens revealed a staggering reality: Verstappen had rocketed to 37th position, a gain of 64 places on the opening tour.
“Not a bad first lap, then!”
Verstappen chimed over the radio upon hearing the news.
Once racing resumed, the Dutchman’s ascent was relentless: 25th by Lap 4, 10th by Lap 6, and fifth by Lap 7. The field dwindled until only three karts remained ahead—those of F1 journalist Jacky Martens, YouTuber Zac Alsop, and Red Bull Ford Powertrains technician Lewis Osler. Despite light-hearted radio banter among the leaders about forming a roadblock, Verstappen dispatched them all within 35 minutes and 14 laps.
“That was simply lovely,”
Verstappen chuckled after eliminating the final kart, adding:
“it’s my first win of the year, so I’ll take this one!”
Post-Race Reflections: ‘A Hundred Is a Lot!’
Speaking to select media including F1.com, Verstappen reflected on the unique experience:
“I grew up racing a lot in karts, then because of your formula career you don’t really get a lot of time racing them anymore, so it’s always nice to go back and have a go at it.
“I got three or four laps on the track, and that was basically my practice. Before that, it’s always very hard to know what to expect, so it’s also better then not to overthink the situation, and just feel it once you sit in the kart. But I think the most that I’ve been on a track with is like 40 karts, maybe, so a hundred is a lot!”
Verstappen’s fastest lap of 2m 20.673s was 2.6 seconds clear of Martens’ best (2m 23.327s). He explained the strategic calculus behind the victory:
“I knew my lap times when I did the prep laps, and I knew the Qualifying lap times of the others, so I knew that it was possible [to win], but it also really depended on my first two laps,”
said Verstappen.
“They went better than expected, so that of course helped a lot.
“Before the race, I said, ‘Let’s be bold and say that I will pass 40 people in Lap 1’, and then they told me [what it was] at the end. It was a good effort. Some people got really excited on the new [extended] part of the track, and there was a bit of a road blockage going on, but I managed to swerve around it, and it worked out well.
“When the lights go out, you kind of just see where the gaps are, and then you also kind of need to trust a few people around you, that they don’t do anything crazy. To be honest, they didn’t. They were very excited with each other, but they were actually quite nice to me! They weren’t crashing into me or whatever.”
“He Sees Something We Don’t See” – Race Director Analysis
Track Designer and Race Director David Terrien was among those left impressed by Verstappen’s spatial awareness and decision-making in heavy traffic.
“Going through the traffic of such a big field, no one has done it,”
Terrien commented.
“There’s never been a karting race with so many karts. So, even Max was questioning himself just before the start, how he could go through the traffic.
“When you look at the replay, he picked the right spots. Every time there was a gap, he went for it. He was on the right side of the track when there was a crash going on the other side. I think that’s what makes the difference with Max – his starts, and his reaction time. He showed his skills in all aspects.
“I was talking to Max’s race engineer and we were looking at the replay of the start. He sees something we don’t see. He sees a gap that’s going to open, and it’s not open yet. So, I think that’s a race vision. That’s something he has that most of the drivers don’t have.”
Another ‘Crazy, Fun’ Red Bull Memory
For Verstappen, the event joins a growing catalogue of unconventional Red Bull challenges—such as driving an F1 car down a mountain and racing caravans with Daniel Ricciardo—that blend competition with entertainment.
“Sometimes I get reminded of what I actually did in the past, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, did I really do that?’”
Verstappen said.
“It’s definitely one of the best ones out there. I mean, how many times do you have the opportunity to create something like this? Racing against a hundred other people from other disciplines or sports.
“I think it’s great that with Red Bull, they always come up with some crazy, fun things, and it suits me as well. I think also the way that it was organised today… I know it requires a lot of effort to be able to do something like this, and it’s a lot of fun to be a part of that.”
Could ‘Max vs 200’ Be Next?
Asked if the concept could become a tradition, Verstappen grinned:
“That’s what I said! I was like, ‘Maybe 200’, and then we’ll see again,”
he responded, before signing off from the press conference to savor what will undoubtedly rank among his most memorable victories.
