Max Verstappen has won Red Bull’s extraordinary Max vs 100 challenge after starting 101st at Silverstone and overtaking every one of the 100 drivers ahead of him in just 35 minutes. The four-time Formula 1 world champion completed the task on lap 14 of a race originally scheduled to run for 30 laps.
Verstappen admitted that seeing 100 karts lined up in front of him on the grid initially gave him some concern. That feeling did not last long. After an extraordinary opening lap in which 63 competitors were eliminated, the Dutchman realised he had the situation under control and began hunting down the remaining leaders.
Max Verstappen starts 101st in enormous Silverstone kart race
The scale of Max vs 100 was clear before the lights even went out. Viewed from above, 101 karts stretched along the Silverstone asphalt, with Max Verstappen occupying the final grid slot.
Ahead of him were 100 competitors from 40 different countries, including Red Bull athletes, gamers, content creators, streamers, journalists and fans. After taking part in practice on Tuesday, the field returned on Wednesday for a single qualifying session ahead of the main event.
The race immediately descended into chaos. Verstappen had already passed more than 10 competitors before reaching the start-finish line, and by the time the field arrived at the hairpin, karts were colliding and several were facing the wrong direction.
Verstappen eliminates 63 rivals before completing opening lap
Under the special Max vs 100 regulations, a competitor was eliminated as soon as the rear of Verstappen’s kart drew level with the front of theirs. Every successful pass was therefore permanent.
After only two minutes, Verstappen had climbed to 37th place. An extraordinary 63 drivers had already been eliminated without completing a full lap.
Once the initial chaos settled, the race became a more conventional pursuit. At the front were pole-sitter Jacky Martens, YouTuber Zac Alsop and Red Bull Ford Powertrains technician Lewis Osler.
With 54 minutes still remaining, the race director awarded the leading group an additional fast lap. That gave them another opportunity to build their advantage, but it only delayed Verstappen’s arrival.
On the following lap, the Formula 1 champion closed the remaining gap and completed the challenge with 35 minutes still on the clock.
Jacky Martens and Lewis Osler join Verstappen on the podium
Jacky Martens and Lewis Osler ultimately joined Verstappen on the podium, while Zac Alsop finished fourth.
Red Bull off-road motorcycle rider Pol Tarrés completed the top five. Italian content creator Paky TWC, streamer RDJavi, photographer Larry Chen, mountain biker Bernard Kerr and actor Neo Yau completed the top 10.
The variety of competitors made Max vs 100 very different from a professional karting championship, but Verstappen still had to negotiate an exceptionally crowded circuit, avoid incidents and erase the advantage given to a field of 100 drivers.
Max Verstappen admits he was initially worried on the grid
After completing the challenge, Verstappen admitted that the sight of such an enormous field had briefly made him wonder how difficult the race might become.
“When I went to the grid and I saw where I had to start, with 100 karts in front of me, I was a little bit worried,” Max Verstappen said.
“After my first lap, with all the carnage, I did think, ‘Okay, we have got this under control!’ It started to become really fun and once I started getting into a rhythm, was able to overtake them one-by-one and saw the gap closing, that was really exciting.”
The event also gave Verstappen the opportunity to return to the form of racing in which his career began long before his Formula 1 success.
“It was great to just be back in a go-kart again and go back to basics. It reminded me of racing back in the day.”
“It’s a really beautiful track and well designed, and it was a nice touch to be able to get all the data fed through the radio too. I had a great day and it was good to come out with the win!”
For Verstappen, Max vs 100 ultimately proved far less daunting than it initially appeared. He began the evening looking at 100 karts ahead of him, but after one extraordinary lap the challenge had already been transformed. Thirteen laps later, nobody remained in front.
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