Max Verstappen completed one of the most remarkable charges in karting history at Silverstone, starting from 101st place and winning Red Bull’s ‘Max vs 100’ event after just 14 laps and 35 minutes of racing.
The four-time Formula 1 World Champion took on 100 competitors — including Red Bull athletes, content creators and a Racing Bulls technician — on a 2.5km circuit blending Silverstone’s dedicated kart venue with sections of its F1 layout. The race, broadcast live on Disney+, was billed by Red Bull as “the world’s biggest go-kart race.”
Verstappen’s charge from the back of the grid was immediate and decisive. By the end of the opening lap, he had gained 64 positions, moving from 101st to 37th. He reached 25th by Lap 4, 10th by Lap 6, and fifth by Lap 7, before hunting down the final three remaining karts — F1 journalist Jacky Martens, YouTuber Zac Alsop, and Red Bull Ford Powertrains technician Lewis Osler.
“Not a bad first lap, then!” Verstappen said over the team radio after being informed of his progress. Once he had eliminated the final kart, he added: “That was simply lovely. It’s my first win of the year, so I’ll take this one!”
Verstappen’s fastest lap of 2m 20.673s was 2.6 seconds quicker than the next best time, a 2m 23.327s set by Martens. Speaking to media including Formula1.com after the event, Verstappen said the opening laps were critical to his strategy.
“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, but it also really depended on my first two laps,” he said. “They went better than expected, so that of course helped a lot.”
Track Designer and Race Director David Terrien, who observed the race from trackside, said Verstappen’s ability to read traffic set him apart from the field. “When you look at the replay, he picked the right spots. Every time there was a gap, he went for it,” Terrien said. “He sees a gap that’s going to open, and it’s not open yet. That’s a race vision. That’s something he has that most drivers don’t have.”
Verstappen, who had recorded a podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix just days earlier, received only three or four practice laps on the track before the race. Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad oversaw preparation for the wider field in the days prior to Verstappen’s arrival.
“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,” Verstappen said. When asked whether the event could become a tradition, he did not rule out a larger edition: “Maybe 200, and then we’ll see again.”