Max Verstappen has conquered some of Formula 1’s toughest circuits, but his next major challenge will look very different from a normal Grand Prix.
The four-time F1 world champion is set to return to his karting roots on September 16, 2026, when he takes on 100 rivals simultaneously at Silverstone in an extraordinary event called “Max vs 100.” Verstappen will start at the very back of the 101-kart grid with one clear objective: overtake every driver ahead of him before the race ends.
101 karts, one champion and a massive challenge
The event has been designed as one of the biggest karting races ever staged, with 101 karts sharing the track at the same time.
Unlike a traditional race, Verstappen will have no advantage of a front-row start. Instead, he will begin behind the entire field, forcing him to find his way through an enormous amount of traffic.
The specially designed circuit has been created by French racing driver and kart designer David Terrien, with the layout built specifically to accommodate the unusually large field.
The challenge in numbers
Event: Max vs 100
Date: September 16, 2026
Venue: Silverstone, United Kingdom
Total karts: 101
Verstappen’s starting position: 101st
Drivers to overtake: 100
Format: Special closed karting event
Live broadcast: Disney+ globally; ESPN platforms in the United States
Why this could be harder than it sounds
On paper, Verstappen is overwhelmingly the most experienced driver in the field. But overtaking 100 karts is a completely different problem.
Testing has already provided a warning. During preparations, the circuit was tested with 50 karts, and even that number made completing the required overtakes within the available time extremely difficult, according to two-time iRacing world champion Sebastian Job. Doubling the field to 100 could turn every corner into a traffic-management puzzle.
For Verstappen, the challenge will not simply be about raw speed. He will need to judge gaps, choose the right overtaking opportunities and avoid losing time behind slower competitors.
That makes the event a fascinating test of the very skills he developed as a young kart racer.
Back to where Verstappen’s journey began
Long before Formula 1 victories and world championships, Verstappen was a karting prodigy.
He began karting at just four years old and started competing in championships at seven. His junior career included major European and world titles before he moved into car racing and eventually became Formula 1’s youngest-ever driver when he debuted with Toro Rosso in 2015.
Verstappen has often credited karting with teaching the fundamentals of racing — from starts and defensive driving to overtaking and understanding grip.
Now, those basic skills will be put under an entirely different kind of pressure.
A field far beyond professional racers
The 100 challengers will come from a wide range of backgrounds rather than being made up exclusively of professional racers.
The field includes Red Bull athletes, streamers, gaming personalities, content creators, media figures and invited fans. Names already associated with the event include ultrarunner Arda Saatçi, basketball shooting coach Chris “Lethal Shooter” Matthews, freestyle mountain biker Matt Jones, and streamers TheGrefg, Caedrel and TheDonato.
That unusual mixture could make the race even less predictable. Verstappen may have the greatest racing experience, but he will have to navigate 100 different driving styles.
Record before the race: 100 overtakes
There is no winner, finishing time or conventional score yet because the event is scheduled for September.
However, the headline statistic is already clear:
100 rivals stand between Verstappen and the front of the field.
If he successfully passes every competitor, he will complete a remarkable 100-kart comeback from last place in an event being promoted as the world’s biggest kart race.
More than just a race
The organisers are also turning the event into a broadcast spectacle. Viewers will get live race data, game-style graphics, aerial footage and on-screen insights. In an unusual twist, Verstappen will also be able to communicate directly with competitors during the race.
That means audiences will not simply watch Verstappen chase the pack — they will get an inside look at how the four-time champion approaches an unprecedented traffic situation.
The big question
Formula 1 normally asks one question: who can reach the chequered flag first?
“Max vs 100” asks something much more unusual: how quickly can Max Verstappen dismantle an entire field?
Starting from the back against 100 opponents, the Dutchman will have to combine speed, patience, precision and racecraft. For a driver who built his career in karting, it is also a return to the foundations of his racing education.
On September 16, Silverstone will not simply host another motorsport event. It will become the stage for one of Verstappen’s strangest and potentially most entertaining racing challenges yet.
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